调查：年轻人身体更差 更爱请病假

Younger people are twice as likely to miss work through illness as their older colleagues, according to a new survey.

Under-30s are more likely to stay at home while suffering from colds and flu, allergies and intolerances than over-55s, figures showed.

Younger people were also more likely to take time off work due to stress, tiredness and feeling run down, which the older contingent said would not be a reason to call in sick.

Almost one in five people aged 18 to 29 admitted they had missed work because they were "too hung-over", but 85 per cent of over-55s said they would only miss work if they were bedridden.

The higher rates of illness in younger people could be explained by the impact of unhealthy lifestyles, the survey of 3,000 people suggested.

Men and women aged 30 and under were more likely to eat junk food like ready meals and takeaways than older people, and were half as likely to eat the five daily portions of fruit and vegetables that experts recommend.

Older people also showed a more positive outlook towards their wellbeing, with 59 per cent believing they are healthier than their parents compared with just 37 per cent of the younger group.

A number of under-30s reported that they often fall ill as a result of stress, with work-related pressures, money issues and relationship problems among the most common causes.

In contrast, fewer than a quarter of over-55s who replied to the survey said they often felt unwell due to stress at work.

High levels of stress could cause symptoms including irritability, headaches, tiredness and upset stomachs, respondents said.

Peter Morton, the marketing manager of multivitamin manufacturer Multibionta, which commissioned the survey, said: “Today’s fast paced, work-hard play-hard lifestyle appears to be taking its toll on the younger generation.

“A poor immune system caused by smoking, drinking and a lack of nutritionally beneficial food, lends itself to people being more susceptible to coughs and colds which in turn can lead to sick days.”最新调查显示，年轻人请病假的几率是年长同事的两倍。

和55岁以上的受访者相比，不到30岁的年轻人在患上感冒或流感、过敏及不耐症时更爱请假在家。

年轻人更可能因为压力、疲劳、或者感觉精疲力竭而请假，但年长的受访者称，这根本不能成为请病假的理由。

在18岁至29岁的受访者中，近1/5承认他们曾因“宿醉未醒”而耽误上班，但在55岁以上的受访者中，有85%认为除非卧床不起，否则他们不会请假。

这项针对三千人开展的调查表明，不健康的生活方式使年轻人更爱生病。

和年长的人相比，30岁及以下的年轻人更爱吃垃圾食品，比如速冻食品和外卖，而食用专家建议的每日五份水果蔬菜的意愿只有年长人士的一半。

年长的人对自身健康状况也更乐观，有59%认为自己比父母更健康，而持相同看法的年轻人仅有37%。

很多不到30岁的年轻人称，经常由于压力太大而生病，最常见的原因有工作压力、金钱问题、感情问题。

相比之下，在55岁以上的受访者中，仅有还不及1/4称自己经常由于工作压力太大而病倒。

受访者称，重压会导致过敏、头痛、疲倦、腹痛等症状。

开展此项调查的复合维生素生产商Multibionta的市场经理彼得·摩顿说：“如今快节奏的生活，勤奋工作、尽情玩乐的生活态度似乎在让年轻一代付出代价。”

“吸烟、饮酒、缺乏营养的食品所导致的免疫力下降会使人们更爱感冒咳嗽，而这又会导致人们请病假。”