Is 35 the New 40?

January 19, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Though 40 once was widely considered something of a milestone that defined middle age, a new survey suggests that overall stress and concerns about health are bringing that threshold lower.

According to a new study released by Royal Philips Electronics, among 25-34 year-olds, 83% feel their health and well-being has stayed the same or improved in the last year, but only 67% of 35-44 year-olds surveyed felt that way.  Similarly, approximately half (48%) of those ages 25-34 go to the doctor about once a year, but that number climbs to 67% for those in the 35-44 age bracket.     

The survey’s authors suggest that stress is a dividing factor too, with double the number (24%) of 35-44-year-olds reporting that they experience a lot of stress, compared to only 12% in the younger bracket.  Factors contributing to stress at the “new age for middle age” included concerns about the economy (79%) and the cost of healthcare (75%).      

Perception Gaps

According to “The Philips Index: America’s Health and Well-being Report 2010”, while three-quarters of Americans feel generally positive about their overall health and well-being, a closer look reveals large gaps between the reported sense of overall optimism and how satisfied Americans actually are about the factors that the survey attributes to individual health and well-being.

In a similar study conducted by Philips in 2004, respondents reported the same level of positivity (about 74%) when asked about their physical health.  However, after balancing how Americans feel about various aspects of well-being versus how important each of these is to them, the overall weighted Philips Index is just 55%. In fact, nearly three-quarters of the country (74%) admit that the economy is a top concern – up from 40% in 2004.       

Katy Hartley, Director of The Philips Center for Health and Well-being, notes, “The Index reveals that Americans are struggling to remain optimistic as they balance concerns about personal finance, stress and the ability to spend quality time with friends and family.  The data also show that Americans think they are far healthier than other national data proves.”