what are the five most common health problems in old age?

 A quarter of the population is between 50 and 70 years old.

• It is a stage in which, very often, the consequences of the unhealthy habits of the previous years begin to be suffered.

• Healthy living and proper controls are the best way to deal with them

Thanks to advances in health science and technology, life expectancy and quality have increased, and the way in which this period is lived is quite different from how it was lived a few generations ago.

Due to this, those who are in this stage today generally feel young and with energy and expectations to carry out many things. But that does not mean that time has not passed: there are a series of problems and illnesses that become more frequent at these ages. And that is why it is important to prevent them, trying to adopt healthy habits, avoid those that are not and carry out the appropriate controls.

A health that wears out

From the age of 50, the body produces fewer cells, while there is a greater oxidation deficit and an increase in the number of free radicals. Added to this is the weakening or degeneration of certain organs -such as the heart and skin-, muscles and systems such as osteoarticular and metabolism. That is why at this point in life many people begin to suffer the consequences of unhealthy behaviors practiced in previous years, such as smoking, poor diet, lack of physical exercise and stress.

In fact, in the 50-64 age group, four out of five people (around 81%) suffer from at least one chronic disease . This figure increases to 91% in the next age range (65-79 years) and up to 95% in those aged 80 or over. This is indicated by the study Health in adult  life in and its relationship with healthy aging , published in 2017, prepared by researchers from the National University of Distance Education (UNED) and edited by the Mapfre Foundation.

According to the same document, in addition, within the European context, Spain "is among the countries with the highest percentage of people aged 50 or over who negatively value their health status."

According to the same document, in addition, within the European context, Spain "is among the countries with the highest percentage of people aged 50 or over who negatively value their health status."

 

What are the five most common health problems between 50 and 70?

1. Cardiovascular problems:

The risk of cardiovascular problems, both punctual (for example, myocardial infarction or coronary thrombosis) and chronic ( hypertension ), increases with age, particularly after 50 years of age. Another risk factor is genetic: people whose parents had heart disease are more likely to have it too.

With respect to gender, although young women are less likely to suffer from heart problems, after menopause the chances are almost equal to those of men. Overweight, obesity, lack of physical activity, cholesterol and stress increase the risk of these problems.

 

2. Bone and joint problems

Problems related to bones and joints can occur at any age, but it is at this stage that they appear most frequently. Certain types of arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis), like osteoporosis and rheumatism , are also largely genetically inherited, and many are more common in women than men (except gout, in which case ratio is reversed). Other elements that contribute to the appearance of these problems are overweight and obesity, poor posture, sedentary lifestyle, trauma, and the practice of elite or high-impact sports.

 

 

3. Respiratory problems

In the case of respiratory problems, the main risk factor is very clear: smoking . Both active and passive, that is, smoking or breathing the smoke of tobacco smoked by other people. This is the main cause of chronic obstructive disease ( COPD ), a serious, progressive, non-reversible disease that affects, according to estimates, one in ten people over 40 years of age, and that appears very frequently from of the 50.g

In Spain, COPD causes the death of around 18,000 people per year . Risk factors for this and other respiratory problems are also the inhalation of irritating substances (gases, dust, smoke, insecticides, pet hair, etc.) and poor sleep hygiene (sleeping on your back), as well as others already mentioned in previous conditions (overweight, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, genetic factors, etc.).

 

 

4.Diabetes

According to the Diabetes study  , carried out by a team of 30 specialists in this disease, the prevalence of diabetes in Spain is very high : 13.8% of the population suffers from it, which is equivalent to more than 5, 3 million people. The vast majority suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus, the most frequent form of this disease, which appears above all in middle age, that is, around 50 years of age. Between the ages of 61 and 75, 30% of women and 42% of men have this form of diabetes.

More than 80% of these cases "can be attributed to obesity , and its reversal also reduces the risk and improves glycemic control in patients with established diabetes mellitus," explains Juan Martínez Candela, a diabetes specialist, in the Update Guide in Diabetes , published in 2015 by the Network Foundation of Diabetes Study Groups in Primary Health Care. Other risk factors are a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and dietary patterns, that is, a poor diet.

 

5. Tumours

The much feared tumours also appear very frequently at this time. According to the ONE , the different types of cancer are the main cause of death between 40 and 79 years of age (and also in childhood, between 1 and 14 years of age), but it is precisely in the 50-69 age range when these rates reach their highest figures: more than half of deaths are due to this reason. The most recurrent types of cancer are those of the bronchi and lung, followed by those of the colon, pancreas, breast and prostate.

According to Ruth Vera, president of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), up to 40% cancer could be avoided  by adopting healthy lifestyles. The risk factors are often the same as in the diseases already mentioned: smoking, overweight, obesity , an unbalanced wealth, stress, etc. And some specific ones are added, such as excessive exposure to sunlight, which is a risk factor for melanoma and other types of skin cancer.