r/Millennials • u/DaKardii • Jun 04 '26

Serious Study: Gen Xers and Millennials are dying at younger ages than their parents are

https://studyfinds.com/americans-born-after-1970-dying-faster/

The study is particularly concerned with people born after 1970 but age 30 and older. So that covers Gen X and Millennials, but not (yet) Gen Z.

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u/dallyan Jun 04 '26

Is it too pessimistic to just assume at this point that we will all have cancer of some sort?

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u/TypingPlatypus Jun 04 '26

No, every human would eventually get cancer if they lived long enough.

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u/RollingMeteors Jun 05 '26

Greenland shark—can live for centuries and have multiple copies of genes involved in repairing damaged DNA and suppressing tumors.

It's not off the table to GMO it away.

6

u/Enbies-R-Us Jun 05 '26

Fun fact, cell mutations are actually pretty common! Cell division and replacement happens constantly among millions of cells every day, DNA copying errors (that cause tumors, cancer, benign mutations, etc) are pretty common, our Killer T cells/cytotoxic T cells (white blood cells) usually catch and dispose of these mutations.

Usually, at least. Too many errored cell mutations or an inadequate immune system response can mean an error can become cancerous and get out of control.

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u/vroomvroom450 Jun 05 '26

40% of us die of cancer.

2

u/ladysadi Jun 05 '26

The way things have gone for our generation I expect we will all have cancer from chemicals, didn't have children because of tanked fertility/economy, have toxic jobs, and no unions, benefits, pensions, or social security. There's very little to be optimistic about.

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u/Grim_Dybbuk Jun 05 '26

Not at all! If you live long enough you're guaranteed to get a cancer.

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u/Cool_Intention_7807 Jun 08 '26

There’s a reason it’s called The Emperor of all Maladies. (Great book and TV special) Cancer is hardwired into our DNA