Understanding the health decline of Americans in boomers to millennials

Abstract

Morbidity and mortality are on the rise among Americans from Boomers to Millennials. We investigate early-life diseases and the socioeconomic, psychosocial, and bio-behavioral factors behind this worsening health trend. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Family and Individual Files 1968–2013, we find that the chronic disease index and poor subjective health have continuously increased for Baby Boomers and later cohorts. Early-life diseases, obesity, and shortening job tenure account for about half the health decline across cohorts. Weakening union protection, decreasing marriage, and declining religion only make minor contributions. All other factors, including early life nutrition and family background, adulthood socioeconomic status, physical activity, and smoking behaviors, make negative or non-significant contributions. These findings highlight that even though recent cohorts have better childhood nutrition, family socioeconomic environment,and higher levels of education and income, these advantages have been offset by elevated early-life disease exposure, obesity, and a precarious labor market. We discuss the findings in the context of Case and Deaton's “cumulative deprivation” thesis.