Americans today are living longer. Life expectancy in the United States has nearly doubled since the early 1900s – from 47 years to 76 years. By the year 2025, Americans should be routinely living to the ripe age of 80, according to the World Health Organization. The bulge on census charts known as the postwar baby boom generation is rapidly reaching middle age. In fact, baby boomers have been turning 50 at the rate of one every 7.5 seconds since January 1,1996. The Census Bureau projects that one in nine baby boomers (9 million of the 78 million people born between 1946 and 1964) will survive into their late 90s, and one in 26 (about 3 million) will reach 100.Now that we are living longer, can we also expect to remain healthy and active longer? The likelihood is very good. But first we will have to jump a few hurdles. One of the highest is a group of diseases commonly referred to as arthritis. Each year, people make more than 315 million physician visits because of arthritis and are hospitalized for it more than 8 million times. Arthritis costs the nation 65 billion dollars annually in medical costs and lost productivity.*4/306/5*
HIGH COST OF ARTHRITIS
Posted: June 14th, 2011 under Healthy bones Osteoporosis Rheumatic.
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