Millennials are aging faster than boomers 밀레니엄 세대, 베이비 붐 세대보다 빠르게 노화

[김우정]

1981년에서 1996년 사이에 태어난 밀레니얼 세대가 기성세대에 비해 더 건강이 약화되고 있답니다.
이 추세는 한국, 홍콩, 싱가포르에서 비슷한 추세를 보이고 있습니다.
주요원인은 가공식품 소비, 신체적 비활동, 스트레스, 열악한 일과 삶의 균형 및 재정적 어려움 등 입니다.
아산병원 노인의학과 정희원교수는 그는 이동성(자주 걷기), 의료문제(음식섭취, 건강검진 등 예방조치), 정신활동(명상), 중요한 것(삶의 우선순위 설정) 등 4가지 'M'을 관리하는 것이 중요하다고 합니다.
 
 
Generational health paradox: Millennials are aging faster than boomers
세대간 건강 역설: 밀레니엄 세대, 베이비 붐 세대보다 빠르게 노화

By Kwak Yeon-soo 곽연수 기자
Posted : 2023-12-12 15:56 Updated : 2023-12-13 01:10
Korea Times

Survey shows that millennials are facing a faster decline in health compared to earlier generations despite their heightened health awareness. Gettyimagesbank 조사에 따르면 밀레니얼들은 건강에 대한 인식이 높아졌음에도 불구하고 이전 세대에 비해 더 빠른 건강약화에 직면해 있다. 게티 이미지뱅크

Experts call for lifestyle change to reverse trend
전문가들, 트렌드를 뒤집기 위해 라이프스타일 변화를 요구

HONG KONG — In an alarming trend, millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, have become the subject of a paradox: they are facing a faster decline in health compared to older generations despite a heightened awareness of fitness among younger people.
홍콩 — 놀라운 추세로 1981년에서 1996년 사이에 태어난 밀레니얼 세대는 젊은 사람들 사이에서 건강에 대한 높아진 인식에도 불구하고 기성 세대에 비해 더 빠른 건강약화에 직면하고 있다는 역설의 주제가 되었다.

This perplexing phenomenon, initially identified in the United States, is now resonating across major Asian countries, including Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore, countering conventional expectations that the health-savvy younger generation would enjoy increased longevity.
처음에 미국에서 확인된 이 당혹스러운 현상은 건강에 밝은 젊은 세대가 장수를 누릴 것이라는 일반적인 기대에 맞서 한국, 홍콩, 싱가포르를 포함한 아시아 주요 국가에서 현재 반향을 일으키고 있다.

According to a 2020 study by medical insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield in the United States, millennials face an accelerated deterioration in both physical and mental health, with conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, depression, and anxiety disorders appearing at an earlier age compared to older generations.
미국의 의료 보험사 블루 크로스 블루 쉴드의 2020년 연구에 따르면, 밀레니얼 세대는 신체적, 정신적 건강 모두에서 가속화된 악화에 직면해 있으며, 고혈압, 고콜레스테롤, 우울증, 불안 장애와 같은 질환이 기성 세대에 비해 더 이른 나이에 나타나고 있다.

For example, Korean millennials are positioned to outpace their parents in aging, Hong Kong is observing an alarming rise in age-related ailments, and the younger generation in Singapore finds itself susceptible to an accelerated decline in health.
예를 들어, 한국의 밀레니얼 세대는 노화에서 그들의 부모를 능가하는 위치에 있고, 홍콩은 나이와 관련된 질병들의 급격한 증가를 목격하고 있으며, 싱가포르의 젊은 세대는 그들 자신이 건강의 가속화된 약화에 취약하다는 것을 발견하고 있다.

Rapid aging in Korean millennials
한국 밀레니얼 세대의 급속한 고령화

Professor Jung Hee-won 정희원 교수

Jung Hee-won, a medical professor and doctor at the geriatric medicine department at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, noted that young adults in Korea are on track to be the first generation to experience an accelerated aging process compared to their parents.
서울아산병원 노인의학과 정희원 교수는 한국의 젊은 성인들이 부모들에 비해 가속화된 노화 과정을 경험하는 첫 번째 세대로 궤도에 올라섰다고 언급했다.

“People who are in their 30s and 40s are susceptible to age-related diseases that people in their 50s and 60s would normally experience,” Jung said. “This means they are more susceptible to long-term chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease (all of which can speed up the aging process).”
정 교수는 "30~40대는 평소 50~60대가 겪을 수 있는 연령 관련질환에 취약하다"며 "이는 비만, 당뇨, 암, 심장질환(이들 모두 노화과정을 앞당길 수 있는) 등 장기적인 만성 질환에 더 취약하다는 것을 의미한다."고 설명했다.

Jung explained a number of factors contributing to this phenomenon, such as consuming large amounts of ubiquitous processed foods, including sugary snacks; physical inactivity; stress; poor work-life balance; and financial difficulties.
정교수는 이 현상에 기여하는 많은 요인들을 설명했는데, 예를 들어 설탕이 든 과자, 신체적인 비활동성, 스트레스, 일과 삶의 균형 부족, 그리고 경제적인 어려움을 포함한 유비쿼터스 가공 식품을 대량으로 소비하는 것이다.

Many studies have linked obesity with accelerated aging, in part because corpulence contributes to the DNA damage that occurs as people age.
많은 연구들이 비만과 노화의 가속화를 연관 지었는데, 이는 부분적으로 강박증이 사람들이 나이가 들면서 발생하는 DNA 손상에 기여하기 때문이다.

Supporting these findings, a study by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency revealed that in 2021, over half of Korean men in their 30s and 40s were classified as obese, with a body mass index exceeding 25. Specifically, 54.9 percent of men in their 30s and 54.2 percent in their 40s fell into this category.
이러한 연구 결과를 뒷받침하는 질병관리본부의 연구에 따르면 2021년 한국 남성 30대와 40대의 절반 이상이 비만으로 분류되었으며 체질량 지수는 25를 초과했다. 특히 30대 남성의 54.9%와 40대 남성의 54.2%가 이 범주에 속했다.

This marked an increase from pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, where the obesity rates were 48.9 percent for Koreans in their 30s and 46.2 percent among people in their 40s.
이는 한국인의 비만율이 30대 48.9%, 40대 46.2%였던 코로나19 팬데믹 이전 수준보다 증가한 것이다.

The obesity rate in women is not as high as in men. But 19 percent of women in their 30s and 19.7 percent in their 40s were considered “skinny fat” in 2022, which means they have a relatively high percentage of body fat and low muscle mass, particularly in the arms and legs.
여성의 비만율은 남성만큼 높지 않습니다. 그러나 2022년에 30대 여성의 19%와 40대 여성의 19.7%가 "피부비만"으로 간주되었는데, 이는 그들이 상대적으로 높은 체지방 비율과 특히 팔과 다리의 근육량이 낮다는 것을 의미한다.

Research indicates that this combination of age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, and increased body fat heightens the risk of cognitive impairment, another accelerator of aging.
연구에 따르면, 근감소증으로 알려진 나이와 관련된 근육 감소와 체지방 증가가 노화의 또 다른 촉진제인 인지 장애의 위험을 높인다고 한다.

Hong Kong millennials’ health concerns
홍콩 밀레니얼 세대의 건강 문제

Professor Au Yeung Tung-wai 오영퉁웨이 교수

In Hong Kong, Au Yeung Tung-wai, an adjunct associate professor of the Jockey Club Institute of Ageing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, observes a similar trend. He said there is a growing number of young adults whose biological age, or the age of their cells, is older than their chronological age, or the number of years they have lived.
홍콩에서도 홍콩 중문대학의 자키클럽 노화연구소의 부교수인 오영퉁웨이(Au Young Tong-wai)도 비슷한 추세를 관찰하고 있다. 그는 생체나이, 즉 세포의 나이가 그들의 연대 나이, 즉 그들이 살아온 세월보다 더 많은 젊은 성인들이 증가하고 있다고 말했다.

“From my everyday encounter of people and through grip-strength measurement, I think it could be true that millennials may be weaker than their parents (were at) the same age,” he said.
그는 "매일 사람들을 만나는 것과 악력 측정을 통해 밀레니얼 세대가 (같은 나이의) 부모보다 약할 수 있다는 것은 사실일 수 있다고 생각한다,"고 말했다.

He, too, sees age-asociated conditions such as obesity and diabetes developing earlier than before, attributed to a sedentary lifestyle.
그는 또한 비만과 당뇨병과 같은 나이와 관련된 질병이 이전보다 더 일찍 발병하는 것을 보고 있는데, 이는 좌식생활 때문이라고 한다.

“In the past, we had to walk and do a lot of physical activities. But after the rapid economic growth in the 1970s, people are working out less and they spend a high proportion of leisure time on social media instead of doing physical activities,” the professor explained.
"과거에는, 우리는 걷고 많은 신체 활동을 해야 했다. 하지만 1970년대의 급속한 경제 성장 이후, 사람들은 운동을 덜 하고 있고 그들은 신체 활동을 하는 대신 소셜미디어에 많은 여가 시간을 소비하고 있다," 라고 그 교수가 설명했다.

Medical insurance company Bupa surveyed 500 millennials aged 25-40 in Hong Kong in 2022 and the findings further highlighted the gap between health consciousness and actual physical fitness activities among that group.
의료 보험 회사 Bupa는 2022년 홍콩의 25-40세 밀레니얼 세대 500명을 대상으로 설문 조사를 실시했으며, 이 결과는 해당 그룹 간의 건강 의식과 실제 신체 건강 활동 사이의 격차를 더욱 강조했다.

The survey showed that young adults are not prioritizing their health, even though they know they should. More than 6 in 10 consider themselves to be health conscious — but fewer than half (48 percent) are satisfied with their overall physical condition.
이 조사는 젊은 성인들이 자신의 건강을 우선시해야 한다는 것을 알면서도, 자신의 건강을 우선시하지 않고 있다는 것을 보여주었다. 10명 중 6명 이상이 자신을 건강에 대해 의식이 있다고 생각하지만, 절반도 되지 않는 (48%) 사람들이 자신의 전반적인 신체 조건에 만족하고 있다.

More than half (53 percent) say they do not have enough time to maintain a healthy lifestyle – and 45 percent engage in physical exercise less than once a week. Nearly half (48 percent) believe stress keeps them from being healthier, and they commonly suffer from office-linked ailments, such as shoulder and neck pain, excessive eye strain and headaches.
절반이상의 사람들 (53%)이 건강한 생활방식을 유지하기에 충분한 시간이 없다고 답했고, 45%는 일주일에 한 번 미만의 신체 운동을 하고 있다. 거의 절반의 사람들 (48%)이 스트레스가 그들을 더 건강하게 하지 못하게 한다고 믿으며, 그들은 흔히 어깨와 목의 통증, 과도한 눈의 피로, 두통과 같은 사무실과 관련된 질병으로 고통받고 있다.

Health experts say millennials in Asia are aging faster than baby boomers and a key factor behind this phenomenon is consuming large amounts of ubiquitous processed foods and sugary snacks. Gettyimagesbank 건강 전문가들은 아시아의 밀레니얼 세대는 베이비 붐 세대보다 더 빨리 고령화되고 있으며, 이 현상의 핵심적인 요인은 많은 양의 유비쿼터스 가공 식품과 설탕이 든 과자를 소비하는 것이라고 말한다. 게티 이미지뱅크

Strategies for preserving health
건강유지전략

Experts emphasize the importance of lifestyle changes for young adults to preserve and improve their health.
전문가들은 젊은 성인들이 건강을 보존하고 향상시키기 위해서는 생활 습관의 변화가 중요하다고 강조한다.

“The key to reversing accelerated aging depends on your lifestyle. You have to remodel your life and manage ‘intrinsic capacity’,” Jung said, referring to the overall combination of an individual’s physical and mental capacities.
"가속화된 노화를 되돌리는 열쇠는 여러분의 라이프 스타일에 달려 있다. 여러분은 여러분의 삶을 개조하고 '본질적인 능력'을 관리해야 한다,"라고 개인의 신체적인 능력과 정신적인 능력의 전체적인 조합을 언급하며 정교수는 말했다.

He said this could be done through managing four “M’s”: mobility (engaging in frequent walking), medical issues (taking preventive measures such as eating healthy foods, being active and getting regular medical check-ups), mental activity (practicing meditation and staying present-focused) and focusing on what matters (setting priorities in life).
그는 이동성(자주 걷기), 의료문제(건강한 음식섭취, 활동적이고 정기적인 건강검진 등 예방조치), 정신활동(명상을 실천하고 현재에 집중하는 것), 중요한 것(삶의 우선순위 설정) 등 4가지 'M'을 관리하는 것을 통해 할 수 있다고 말했다.

Au Yeung stressed the importance of building muscles in order to “lower your chance of suffering from fractures when you grow old.”
오영은 "나이가 들면 골절로 고생할 가능성을 낮추기 위해" 근육을 만드는 것의 중요성을 강조했다.

Singapore’s approach to healthy aging
싱가포르의 건강한 노화에 대한 접근법

Professor Reshma Merchant 레슈마 머천트 교수

The topic of accelerated aging among the youth is also a subject of concern in Singapore.
청년층의 고령화 가속화 문제는 싱가포르에서도 관심의 대상이다.

Associate Professor Reshma Merchant from the National University of Singapore's Department of Medicine pointed out the long-term socio-economic implications of accelerated aging in today's younger generation, who she describes as more prone to loneliness, anxiety and a sedentary lifestyle compared to how their parents' generation was at the same age.
싱가포르 국립대학 의학부의 레슈마 머천트 부교수는 요즘 젊은 세대의 고령화 가속화의 장기적인 사회경제적 의미를 지적했는데, 그녀는 그들의 부모 세대가 같은 나이였을 때와 비교했을 때 외로움, 불안 및 좌식 생활에 더 취약하다고 설명했다.

“If the preval‎ence of chronic diseases goes up, there’s going to be a loss of productivity as well,” she said.
그녀는 "만성질환의 유병률이 높아지면 생산성도 떨어질 것"이라고 말했다.

That is why she lauds the government’s efforts to increase public awareness of healthy aging and cited Singapore's “Blue Zone 2.0” policies that encourage people to be active, socially engaged and choose healthier food options.
그렇기 때문에 그녀는 건강한 노화에 대한 대중의 인식을 높이기 위한 정부의 노력을 칭찬하고 사람들이 활동적이고, 사회적으로 참여하고, 건강한 음식 선택을 장려하는 싱가포르의 "블루존 2.0" 정책을 인용했다.

Blue zones are regions in the world where people are claimed to live, or to have recently lived, longer than average. The original locations include Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa Prefecture in Japan, Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Icaria in Greece and Loma Linda in the U.S. state of California.
블루존은 세계에서 사람들이 평균보다 더 오래 살거나 최근에 살았다고 주장되는 지역이다. 원래 위치는 이탈리아의 사르데냐, 일본의 오키나와 현, 코스타리카의 니코야 반도, 그리스의 이카리아, 미국 캘리포니아 주의 로마 린다이다.

In Singapore, well-established walking paths and cycling tracks, from coast to coast, across and around the island linking the city’s many parks, have helped encourage an active lifestyle, Merchant said, as has providing exercise equipment in parks.
싱가포르에서는 해안에서 해안으로, 도시의 많은 공원들을 연결하는 섬을 가로질러 그리고 그 주변으로, 잘 구축된 산책로와 자전거 트랙들이 활동적인 생활 방식을 장려하는 데 도움이 되었다고 머천트는 공원에 운동 기구를 제공하는 것과 마찬가지로 말했다.

The government also cut sugar levels in sweetened drinks and introduced a four-level Nutri-Grade labeling system, based on the sugar and saturated fat content in beverages – to help Singaporeans make healthier choices.
정부는 또한 싱가포르 사람들이 더 건강한 선택을 할 수 있도록 돕기 위해 가당 음료의 설탕 수준을 줄이고 음료의 설탕과 포화 지방 함량에 기초한 4단계의 뉴트리 등급 표시 시스템을 도입했다.

Merchant, who is over the age of 50, shared her personal approach to maintaining health through regular exercise and a balanced diet.
50세가 넘은 머천트 교수는 규칙적인 운동과 균형 잡힌 식사를 통해 건강을 유지하려는 개인적인 접근법을 공유했다.
 
“I go to the gym twice a week to do resistance exercise and burn calories. I also take vitamins like coenzyme Q10, cod liver oil and probiotics. The Mediterranean diet, fresh berries and broccoli help reduce saturated fat,” she said. “After doing this actively over 18 months, all my aches and pains went away.”
"나는 일주일에 두 번 체육관에 가서 저항 운동을 하고 칼로리를 태운다. 저는 또한 코엔자임 Q10, 대구 간유, 프로바이오틱스와 같은 비타민을 먹는다. 지중해식 식단, 신선한 딸기류, 브로콜리는 포화 지방을 줄이는데 도움이 된다," 라고 그녀가 말했다. "18개월 이상 이렇게 활발하게 하고 나니, 모든 통증과 고통이 사라졌다."
 
#Millennials밀레니얼 #Healthawareness건강인식 #Declineinhealth건강약화#Lifestylechange라이프스타일변화 #Obesity비만 #Chronicconditions만성질환 #BlueZone블루존 #Nutri-Gradelabelingsystem뉴트리등급표시시스템 #Resistanceexercise근력운동 #Mediterraneandiet지중해식식단