From Health Regrets to Health Clarity: A Midlife Wake-Up Call
Do you wish you had exercised more and eaten healthier in your thirties? You are not alone. Around four in 10 midlifers – adults aged 40-65 – feel the same way, according to our latest research.
But it isn’t too late to get your health back on track. As a leading provider of private diagnostic scans, we can help by offering greater clarity on your health.
Here, we will dive into the health concerns and regrets of midlifers in the UK, as well as why midlife can be a turning point for your health.
Top health regrets among midlifers
When we commissioned a survey of 7,000 UK adults aged 40-65 years, it revealed that 45% wished they had exercised more in their thirties, while 41% wished they had eaten healthier. In addition, around a quarter wished they had drank less alcohol and slept better.
Given that midlifers have these regrets about their past health practices, how do they feel about their health today?
What is happening now with midlifers?
- Most midlifers are still not meeting their health goals.
- Seven in ten are not exercising enough despite the knock-on effects on their health.
- On average, midlifers eat half the recommended amount of daily fruits and vegetables and sleep fewer than 7 hours a night.
- Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol continues to be a problem for 1 in 7 midlifers.
Time to turn your health concerns into clarity
Around a third of midlifers are worried about weight gain and have been diagnosed with new health conditions. Meanwhile, 3 in 10 do not feel themselves. So it’s not really surprising that three-quarters of midlifers are concerned about their health.
Are you one of them?
If so, it’s time to take action and turn your health concerns into health clarity. How?
By making proactive health decisions based on clear evidence provided by our advanced medical scans and experienced doctors.
Expert insights: you can make a change
Can you really turn your health around in midlife? The simple answer is yes. Here’s what our Chief Medical Officer and NHS GP, Dr Reem Hasan, has to say about it:
“It is never too late to take control, seek professional guidance, implement evidence-based lifestyle changes, and transform past regrets into a foundation for future resilience.”
Dr Hasan understands the challenges of the midlife years: “For many in the so-called ‘sandwich generation’, juggling the demands of work, caring for ageing parents, and raising children, it is all too easy to let your own health and wellbeing slip.”
But midlife can be a turning point, as Dr Hasan emphasises, “This stage of life, when people often first notice meaningful changes in their wellbeing, is also an invaluable opportunity to take charge.”
Hopeful signs of change for midlifers
While midlifers are dealing with new health challenges and worries, many are also making positive changes – and you can too.
Around half take supplements and keep their brain active with puzzles. Over a third limit their screen time and a quarter practice mindfulness.
What’s more, we have helped many midlifers on the road to better health, such as Nancy, aged 50, from Suffolk:
“The turning point came when I turned 50, as I juggled a busy work life and the changes to my health, while watching people close to me in their 50s and 60s face devastating diagnoses or pass away. I didn’t want to be a passenger in the car, letting life happen to me, I wanted to take the wheel and steer.”
With a newfound resolve to put her health first, Nancy turned to us:
“I self-referred for a full body health assessment with Vista Health, which uncovered health issues I was unaware of: a cyst on my pancreas, neck deterioration and potential fibroids. The results gave me the clarity to take action with my GP, and make changes before things worsened.”
Better health for midlifers nationwide
Adults in midlife are making positive changes for better health across the country.
Our research looked at the health of midlifers in 17 cities, assigning every individual a health score to generate an average score for the city.
The results?
Plymouth came out on top as the healthiest city, followed by Southampton and Bristol. London, Glasgow and Manchester shared ninth place, while Liverpool and Sheffield shared tenth place.
Wherever you live, you can enjoy better health in midlife with expert medical insights, advice and easy access to cutting-edge diagnostic scans at one of our clinics located nationwide.
Get clarity on your health
Have you been thinking about your health as you get older? Want to make sure you can enjoy better health in the years ahead?
Then it’s time to book one of our advanced private diagnostic scans or health checks and discover how we can empower you to get health clarity in midlife.