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Health is more important than wealth for Gen X – but they are more likely to be obese or have diabetes than baby boomers
A study of people in their early 50s found that Generation X values health more highly than money, yet many report poor or fair health. Researchers say the gap matters because those surveyed place health first among life priorities, while a substantial share face physical or mental health difficulties.
University College London researchers analysed data from about 8,000 participants in the 1970 British Cohort Study, surveyed between 2021 and 2024. Health scored an average 9.3 out of 10, compared with 6.1 for money; 26 per cent rated their health fair or poor, around a third reported obesity and almost one in ten had diabetes. Health and income were closely linked: 59 per cent of the highest earners reported very good or excellent health, against 24 per cent of the lowest earners. Compared with baby boomers at the same age, Gen X reported worse health and higher rates of obesity and diabetes; women also reported psychological distress more often than men.
In short
- Gen X ranks health above money.
- One in four rate their health fair or poor.
- Lower-income adults report worse health outcomes.
Explained simply
Generation X usually refers to people born between the mid-1960s and early 1980s; baby boomers are the generation before them. The 1970 British Cohort Study has followed people born in England, Scotland and Wales in that year, collecting information about their lives and health over time.
Health can shape people’s ability to work and manage everyday life, while income can affect access to resources that support wellbeing. Comparing generations at the same age can help researchers understand how health patterns differ across people’s lives.