Millions of Britons pay price of couch potato lifestyle

Millions of Britons are ‘four years older than they think’ because of their couch potato ways, according to a study. It warns that their failing health is ‘creating a timebomb’ for companies that already lose billions of pounds through sick days – and will face even bigger costs if absenteeism rises because of workers’ increased ill health. Nearly nine out of ten workers are shortening their life expectancy by four years through their sedentary lifestyle and poor diet, according to the report out today. Some 86 per cent of the 9,559 workers surveyed have a ‘health age’ of four years older than their real age, says the study for health insurer PruHealth. The calculation is based on an estimate of years ‘lost’ when certain risk factors are taken into consideration and, it is claimed, gives people an understanding of their ‘true level of health’. It takes into account BMI (body mass index), cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, smoking, alcohol, nutrition, exercise, stress and well-being. The biggest contributing factors for a higher ‘health age’ are said to be lack of physical activity and being overweight. Nearly a third (31 per cent) of employees have three or more risk factors, putting them at serious risk of ill health, the study found. Men aged between 40 and 49 are most likely to have a higher ‘health age’. Those with a higher ‘health age’ than their real age are 12 per cent more likely to visit the GP and 13 per cent more likely to be admitted to hospital. Neville Koopowitz, chief executive of PruHealth, said the ageing effect on so many of Britain’s workers is putting them ‘at serious risk of ill health’ as they get older, which is creating a timebomb for UK plc. ‘British businesses will have to pick up the increasing cost of absenteeism from an ageing population that will be retiring much later,’ he said. ‘Over the last few decades people have been living longer but they are not living longer, healthier lives and are very likely to suffer from chronic disease, dramatically reducing quality of life, with their employers picking up the bill.’ Absenteeism already costs British businesses an estimated £32billion each year, with 131million work days lost due to sickness absence. Too much junk food and not enough exercise is said to be driving the gap between real ages and 'health ages'. Research shows the ageing effect on Britain's workers is getting worse Mr Koopowitz said: ‘For many decades it has been accepted that children will live longer than their parents but for the first time in generations, there is mounting evidence that this trend of longer life is now reversing, in no small part due to lifestyle factors such as obesity and smoking.’ John Anderson, UK market business leader for health and benefits at management consultants Mercer, which was also involved in the study, said the working environment plays a ‘crucial role’ in shaping the health and well-being of staff. He added: ‘Employees who feel their employer cares about their health and well-being are more likely to be more engaged and loyal, resulting in higher productivity, higher profitability and higher customer support. ‘Our latest findings add to the business case for ensuring a healthy company and we expect to see many more organisations looking to review investment in this area.’ The survey is part of the first ‘Britain’s Healthiest Company Report’ run by PruHealth and Mercer, and is billed as the ‘biggest study of employee health in the UK’. On average, British workers take ten unscheduled absence days each year in the UK, previous studies have shown. Approximately 80 per cent of all absences are accounted for by staff sickness. Overall, twice as many sick days are taken by British workers as by US and Asia-Pacific workers.