Lung health in our mid 20s could define the future workforce

If you’ve got good lung function in your early- to mid-20s, your path is paved for a potentially longer, healthier life, according to a major new study, covered recently by BBC Health. And it seems that many 20-somethings are already on that path, if Vitality data is anything to go by. Encouraging news, not only for the 20-somethings (otherwise known as Generation Z), but also for the prevention goals dominating the UK’s health agenda; namely, the NHS 10-year-plan and the government’s Get Britain Working review.

But there’s still big room for improvement here. And that means big room for HR to prove their mettle as a business partner. After all, prevention isn’t just something best left to government, or the responsibility of individuals alone. It arguably needs to be played out in organisations of all shapes and sizes across the UK, to tackle rising absence due to long-term health conditions. Plus the ongoing deterioration in UK productivity growth.

It’s becoming well understood that health is key to being productive at work. Vitality has previously reported that inactive employees lose 28% more productive time than those who regularly exercise.

So, next time the board is wrangling with how to improve productivity and defaulting toward an organisational restructure (around 70% of which fail), why not build the business case for improving the health of the workforce. Simple, yet effective. But all too often overlooked. Here’s some useful insights to help get started.

The healthier our lungs in our 20s, the more protected we are

It’s official. If you want to age gracefully, look after your lungs. So concludes an international study – the first if its kind apparently – which set out to assess how human lung function varies as we age. Published by an international team of respiratory experts, the study shows that our lung function peaks in our early to mid-20s. And the better our lung function at this peak age, the more resilient we are to a wide range of conditions in later life.

Based on data from around 30,000 men and women collected over the course of the 20th century, it reveals that the healthier our lungs in our 20s, the more protected we are. Not only against lung-related health conditions, but also a range of other illnesses associated with: elevated blood pressure; autoimmunity; metabolic disease; frailty; and even cognitive decline.

Regular exercise represents one of the top preventative steps that people can take to improve their lung function, according to the study. Other steps include: lowering salt in the diet; including fish oils, antioxidants and vitamins C and E in your diet; sticking to a healthy weight; quitting smoking and vaping; and perhaps even taking up singing or playing a wind instrument.