Baby Boomers Show Concerning Decline in Cognitive Functioning

A nationwide study published in the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences: Series B found that U.S. baby boomers scored lower on a test of cognitive function than did members of previous generations, reports ScienceDaily . Average cognition scores of adults 50 and older increased from generation to generation, beginning with the greatest generation and peaking among war babies. Scores started declining in the early boomers and fell further in the mid boomers, suggesting a reversal in the trend of declining dementia in the United States in coming decades. "What was most surprising . . . is that this decline is seen in all groups: men and women, across all races and ethnicities and across all education, income, and wealth levels," said Ohio State University Professor Hui Zheng. Results indicated lower cognitive functioning in baby boomers was associated with less wealth, along with more loneliness, depression, inactivity, and obesity, and reduced likelihood of matrimony. "If it weren't for their better childhood health, more favorable family background, more years of education, and higher likelihood of having a white-collar occupation, baby boomers would have even worse cognitive functioning," Zheng noted. Among the contributing factors highlighted as unique to the United States was the lack of universal access and high cost of healthcare.