50 year olds say best years yet to come

  Thanks to Cheerios for this new survey - hey, it's what we've been saying all along:  

According to a recent survey completed by Cheerios^®, 50 is the new 40 – or younger. Americans celebrating the iconic birthday this year aren’t stressed or sad about turning 50; they’re looking forward to what the future holds. The researchers conclusions? Check it out:

“It’s clear from the results that 50-year-olds feel far younger than their current age and are eager to make big changes in the coming years – and they’ve noticed having a healthy heart is key to keeping this momentum going.”

                                     Also check out: 5 Secrets to staying young - Boomers define old as age 80
Cheerios conducted “The Real 50” survey to find out how 50-year-old Americans feel about their age, health and the next phase of their lives. Key findings from the report uncover this group feels youthful at 50, but recognizes health should be a priority in the years ahead.
 
Age is Just a Number
Seventy-seven percent of today’s 50-year-olds feel younger than they thought they would at this age. In fact, nearly 45 percent say they feel 39 or younger. And despite the recent economic downtown, 56 percent believe they have it better than their parents did at this age.

While these Boomers feel youthful, they also recognize improving or maintaining their health is important for the future. Specifically:

• Nearly two in three report the decade ahead is one in which they’d love to improve their overall health.
• Close to 70 percent fear they’ll be more consumed with the health of their hearts in the decade to come than the physical signs of aging such as wrinkles or gray hair.
• Almost half hope their 50^th year will be the time they tackle a specific health or fitness goal, such as losing weight or lowering cholesterol.

“As younger Boomers enter their 50’s, we wanted to see how they feel about this milestone birthday,” said Jeff Hingher, brand marketing manager for Cheerios. “It’s clear from the results that 50-year-olds feel far younger than their current age and are eager to make big changes in the coming years – and they’ve noticed having a healthy heart is key to keeping this momentum going.”
The Road Ahead
Of this group, almost 70 percent believe their best years haven’t passed them by; they’re yet to come. With their best days ahead of them, these Boomers are excited to continue focusing on what’s important to them.

• Close to three in four of those who believe the best years lie ahead say the coming years are most appealing to them for chances to travel (74 percent) and spend time with their families (73 percent).
• Additionally, 60 percent say they’d like to take more time for leisure activities, such as attending concerts or movies, while 46 percent want to spend more time outdoors and 42 percent look forward to volunteering.

While age seems to be a mere state of mind for this group, they acknowledge the need to take care of themselves, particularly their hearts, to seize the days ahead.
As an incentive to stay healthy, Cheerios developed the “Do What You Love” sweepstakes. People who pledge to love their hearts can enter to win one of 10 prizes that allow them to travel, vacation with family, attend a red-carpet event and more. Cheerios wants to inspire Boomers to become caretakers of their hearts because no matter what they love to do, they’ll need a healthy heart to do it.
Enjoying Cheerios is a simple way to help maintain a healthy heart because the cereal is made with 100 percent whole grain oats which can help lower cholesterol.
To learn more about Cheerios and the “Do What You Love” sweepstakes, please visit Cheerios.com/love.