Millennials at diabetes, cancer risk in middle age

London, June 18: Owing to stressful jobs and relationships, millennials, or those born between 1980s and 2000, could be at a higher risk of developing diabetes, cancer, heart diseases, than their parents, researchers say. The study, commissioned by British charity Health Foundation, showed that people currently in their 20s and 30s will be at a higher risk of these “lifestyle” diseases in 30 years’ time.

Despite public health measures improving on the aspects of smoking and alcohol use, millennials are “losing ground” on various important social and environmental factors like employment, relation, housing etc, the Telegraph reported. It also showed that insecure work like zero-hour contracts or graduates working for non-graduate jobs may be associated with higher instances of psychological stress and can harm their health, in later life. “There are already signs that the gains made in improving the health of previous generations may well be eroded by the precariousness and instability of the lives many young people are facing,” the Telegraph quoted Jo Bibby, policy director at Health Foundation as saying. (IANS)