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As World Health Day Approaches, Survey Reveals Discrepancy in Baby Boomers' Attitudes and Behaviors When it Comes to Their Nutrition and Physical Well-BeingBOSTON --(Business Wire)-- On April 7, 2013, World Health Day will focus on the causes and consequences of high blood pressure. Yet in a national survey of more than 500 Americans age 50 to 65, Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston, a Liberty Mutual Insurance company, found that while 77 percent of baby boomers rate their physical health as good or excellent and 50 percent feel as healthy as they did five years ago, less than half (46 percent) are exercising at least three times a week. Although exercise is only one indicator of an individual's overall health and well-being, three-quarters of those surveyed said they considered physical fitness very important to them. When asked how baby boomers could transform their confident attitudes toward well-being into actual behaviors, Liberty Life's longevity expert and medical director, Dr. Alison Moy, outlined five key changes that can make all the difference: 1. Be proactive. "Don't wait until you feel sick to forge a meaningful relationship with your doctor," said Dr. Moy. "Know your key health numbers like body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol. Ask your doctor about using self-monitoring tools such as wearable devices and smart phone applications to track your progress toward improving your health numbers." 2. Be social. Many self-monitoring tools will connect to social media or online communities - allowing baby boomers to share their fitness accomplishments with others. "Studies have shown that people who network and receive support for reaching goals are more likely to achieve sustained success," Dr. Moy explained. 3. Be attentive. For years, experts have advised reading food labels and avoiding foods with ingredients you can't pronounce. Today, tools such as NuVl® make it even easier to gauge the nutritional value of packaged food. NuVal® assesses 30 food ingredients and weighs the amount of "good" ingredients, such as vitamins, fiber and iron, against the "bad" ingredients, such as fat, sodium and sugar - assigning each food a score. The higher the score, the better the product's nutrition. "Choosing unsweetened shredded wheat with a score of 91 at breakfast over an English Muffin with score of 21 can help you start the day on a healthy path," said Dr. Moy. 4. Be realistic. Make behavior changes specific and accomplishable - start small and build up to success. "For example, instead of setting a goal to work out at the gym daily, start by taking the stairs at work, not the elevator," said Dr. Moy. 5. Be happy. Bring a positive attitude to every situation you face. "Research has found that personality and outlook can play a role in how long people live. A study in the Journal of Aging found that people who reach 100 have several personality traits in common including high conscientiousness, openness to experience and a positive outlook on life," said Dr. Moy.¹ To help baby boomers reach their unique fitness goals and ambitions, Liberty Life has created an online resource, Be Well for Life?. Curated by Dr. Moy, Be Well for Life? distills practical information and commonsense tips needed to live a longer, healthier life. An infographic on the results is available. About Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston's Survey Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston surveyed pre-retirement age baby boomers to gauge their perceptions about their physical health and well-being and their preparations for retirement. The survey was conducted online in November 2012 by ORC International and surveyed a total of 501 Americans aged 50 to 65. About Liberty Mutual Insurance "Helping people live safer, more secure lives" since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance is a diversified global insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2011 direct premiums written as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Liberty Mutual Insurance also ranks 84th on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2011 revenue. As of December 31, 2012, Liberty Mutual Insurance had $120.1 billion in consolidated assets, $101.5 billion in consolidated liabilities, and $36.9 billion in annual consolidated revenue. Liberty Mutual Insurance offers a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, workers compensation, property, commercial automobile, general liability, global specialty, group disability, group life, reinsurance, surety, individual life and annuity products. Liberty Mutual Insurance (www.libertymutualinsurance.com) employs over 50,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world. Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston Home Office: Boston, Mass. 1. Chapman, Benjamin P, et al: Personality and longevity: knowns, unknowns, and implications for public health and personalized medicine. Journal of Aging Research; 2011: 1-24.
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