Young, pre-frail generation

IMDb lists “Good Will Hunting” as the No. 1 movie about the fear of failure. But we’d like to point out that with a little help, Will (Matt Damon) is able to overcome the crippling emotion and realize his potential. And, we hope you can do as well as Will, if fear of frail-ure is what’s haunting you.

It turns out that pre-frailty, which most people associate with advanced age, is as prevalent in 40-year-olds as it is in folks over 70. In fact, a new Australian study published in BMC Geriatrics found that prefrailty occurs in 45% of people ages 40-49, and that’s about the same as the percentage for folks 70-75. When it hits in your 40s, it’s a glide path to early frailty, which is something everyone should work to avoid.

Pre-frailty means you are dealing with one or two of the following problems: declining energy, reduced muscle function, low grip strength, slowed walking speed, sedentary behavior and unintentional weight loss. Frailty is defined as having at least three of those issues.

Luckily, you can prevent and reverse pre-frailty and avoid the cascade of health problems that accompany frailty, from cognitive decline to broken bones.

The No. 1 way to prevent or reverse pre-frailty is exercise: 60 minutes, five days a week of walking, resistance or strength training, aerobics, jumping/ stretching and, most importantly, fun! You can do yoga, jumping jacks, stretchy bands, walking up and down stairs, step-class routines, barre exercises or dancing — just get moving. You have nothing to fear but frail itself.