Why Are Future Generations Looking More Fit

When compared to the people who were young around 30 years ago, the younger generations of today are looking much more fit.

Fitness levels throughout the ages have shown a direct relationship with the lifestyle of each particular generation.

After an older generation that was occupied with hard work, where people usually stayed fit only through their daily activities, came the generation that had it easier, Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980). As the comforts of life increased and jobs changed from physical labour to requiring more mental work at desks, lifestyles became more sedentary. People slowly got heavier as their physical activity levels decreased, and fast foods became the go to’s for a quick meal on a busy schedule.

Then came the millennials (born in 1981-1996), who haven’t been dubbed the ‘wellness generation’ for nothing.    

Not only are they the largest living generation in the present day, but they are also the most holistic, active and healthy generation yet. A recent study from experts by Click Pharmacy shows that millennials value health the most after family!

Nowadays, millennials and Generation Z (born in 1997 to present) approach fitness and health as a priority instead of as an afterthought. The youth are more aware and, more importantly, take intentional measures to rectify their sedentary lifestyles by employing concrete steps to stay healthy.

Diet

Diets and the awareness surrounding nutrition have come a long way. Where once diets were synonymous with near starvation and extreme cutting of calories, now, they have a much more positive connotation.

The recognition of how different kinds of metabolisms work, and the heightened understanding of how various foods affect the body, have made dieting a much more conscious process.

Paleo, keto, intermittent fasting, and other diet methodologies are all geared towards specific goals. When it comes to choosing the correct diet, it is options galore for future generations. They can pick and choose or even try them out till they find what works best for them.

Exercise

Body-building is no longer a far-fetched dream that only competition participants achieve, as it was for older generations.

The sheer amount of information available online for people who want to get fit, if they wish to lose fat, tone up or gain muscle, is incredible.

Where there was a lack of readily available information before, people can now employ different exercise approaches and select from various kinds of exercises that mobilize and work different parts of their bodies.

Additionally, the ‘skinny-fad’, which was especially rampant among teenage girls, has seen a fantastic transformation. More and more people are aiming to be healthier and stronger over stick thin. Fit is now the new skinny.

Fitness Community

Over the past decade, the fitness world has become a community both locally and online.

Instead of approaching exercise and nutrition with purely health-related considerations, as the previous generations did, the younger generation seeks to socialize, form bonds and explore common interests through their fitness journeys.

Now, more young people are signing up for gym memberships and yoga classes than ever before, not only to stay in shape but to also meet and interact with like-minded people.

Social media

Technology and the boom in social media users have also hugely influenced the younger generations.

In truth, social media platforms have played a drastic and permanent role in making fitness advice and information easily accessible to anyone and everyone, subsequently making it easier for them to get fit.

There is also an element of ‘peer pressure’, where the ongoing trend dictates what people do, by subconsciously pressurizing them to follow what everyone else is doing. In a more positive take on this social phenomenon, the more ‘fitness influencers’ broadcast their own goals, healthy lifestyles and fitness regimes, the larger the number of people influenced to follow them.

Better Lifestyle Habits

Younger people are making better choices when it comes to social and lifestyle habits. Social habits like drinking and smoking have a significant impact on health, level of fitness and overall quality of life.

The latest release of data on Adult Drinking Habits in the UK showed that young people aged 16 to 24 years old are less likely to drink than any other age group. Also, in the week before when the study was conducted, less alcohol was consumed by younger people than 66 per cent of those aged between 45 to 65 years old.

Cigarette smoking has also shown a downward trend over the past 15 years. The number of current cigarette smoking adults has steadily declined, from 27% to 17%.

Furthermore, the proportion of children aged 8 to 15 that have ever smoked has also decreased, from 19% to 5% in the past ten years.

Weight loss treatments

For those who are very obese and find it impossible to shed those extra pounds, there are many different weight loss treatment options available now that were previously undiscovered and unheard of.

Aside from the more invasive surgical options, weight loss tablets available like Orlistat have transformed the weight loss game for those who are obese or extremely overweight.