A new study sheds light on women’s and older adults’ general perceptions of their health and fitness levels. The study was published by the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research and included respondents from around the world.
In analyzing respondents’ feedback on their perception of their overall health, researchers found that:
15% of women said they were very healthy.
59% said they were healthy.
21% said they were somewhat unhealthy.
5% said they were unhealthy.
We at I Start Wondering feel it is positive that 74% of women feel healthy or very healthy, especially after enduring a pandemic.
The study also looked at this data by age groups, finding:
Older adults who described themselves as very healthy declined with age:
13% of 45-54
10% of 55-64
8% of 65 and older
Older adults who described themselves as healthy remained stable:
61% of ages 45-54 and of ages 55-64
58% of 65 and older
Older adults who described themselves as somewhat unhealthy steadily climbed with age:
20% of 45-54
23% of 55-64
27% of 65 and older
Older adults who described themselves as unhealthy also remained stable:
5% of ages 45-54 and ages 55-64
6% of ages 65 and above
In relation to women and fitness, researchers found that:
17% of women said their fitness was very good.
52% said their fitness was quite good.
23% said their fitness was quite poor.
6% said their fitness was very poor.
In analyzing age groups that included both sexes, the study found that:
Among respondents between the ages of 45-54:
17% said their fitness was very good.
53% said it was quite good.
22% said it was quite poor.
6% said it was very poor.
Among respondents between the ages of 55-64:
14% said their fitness was very good.
56% said it was quite good.
23% said it was quite poor.
and 6% said it was very poor.
Among respondents between the ages of 65 and older:
12% said their fitness was very good.
56% said it was quite good.
22% said it was quite poor.
and 7% said it was very poor.
These findings remind older women about the importance of taking care of ourselves. While declining health is part of life at some point in time, we need to increasingly commit to all areas of self-care—diet, exercise, stress relief, quality sleep, etc.—as the years go by. By doing so, we can add quality to our life, instead of just seeking to live a long life.
The study also compiled data on weight, mood, stress, the ability to do daily activities, and reading nutrition labels, which we will share in a later ISW post.