WebMD Now: Who’s Healthier? Millennials vs Boomers

Have you heard? There are now more millennials than baby boomers. Yep. And those millennials have grown up with more information than any generation before them. But that doesn't mean they've cornered the market on health. Let's see how they measure up.

One of the biggest impacts on your health is stress, and while you might think that millennials are pretty chill, it turns out, they are the most stressed out generation alive. That means trouble as they age. Stress causes things like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression, so if they don't find their zen, they could pay the price. One point boomers.

Another key indicator of a healthy life, exercise. Looks like the millennials take this one. 72% of millennials exercise at least once a week, but only 59% of boomers do. Chronic illness? In this category, things aren't exactly balanced. Boomers are older, so they're more likely to have ongoing health problems. Even worse, many chronic conditions are increasing among baby boomers at a distressing rate. Diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension are all going up in this group. So point here goes to the millennials.

OK. Let's weigh in on weight. About 40% of baby boomers are considered obese, but not so fast, millennials. You and yours are becoming obese at a faster rate than previous generations. How about what you eat? For all of today's emphasis on organic, authentic food, millennials may not be eating healthier than their elders. For one thing, they eat out more frequently than baby boomers.

At the end of the day, which generation is really grabbing the good health brass ring? Millennials. What can we say? They have age on their side. But take away that advantage, and baby boomers aren't doing so bad when it comes to aging well. No matter your age, remember. Lifestyle choices, healthy eating, and exercise can help anyone get healthier and stay that way.