Top 10 chronic health problems of seniors are all related to low vitamin D

The Top 10 Chronic Conditions of Seniors (Perplexity AI June 2025)

1. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

• Affects 73.7% of women aged 65-74 and 84.1% of women aged 75+ 1
• 71.8% of men aged 65-74 and 83.2% of men aged 75+ have hypertension 1
• The most common chronic condition affecting seniors 2

2. High Cholesterol

• Affects 55.1% of older adults 3
• Second most frequently reported condition among seniors 3
• Closely linked to cardiovascular disease risk 2

3. Arthritis

• Affects 51.3% of older adults 3
• Third most frequently reported condition among seniors 3
• 52% of 85-year-olds had a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in clinical studies 4

4. Obesity

• 38.0% of men aged 60 and older 1
• 39.6% of women aged 60 and older 1
• Affects approximately 42% of adults 60 and older 5

5. Diabetes

• Affects 26% of adults aged 65 and older 6
• 12.1% of all adults have diabetes, with higher rates among seniors 3
• Diabetes prevalence among American older adults may increase more than 400% by 2050 4

6. Heart Disease

• Affects 6.5% of adults overall, with higher rates among seniors 3
• Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are common chronic conditions at age 85 4
• Leading cause of death but lower prevalence than other chronic conditions 7

7. Cancer

• 8.0% of adults overall report cancer (excluding skin cancer) 3
• Higher incidence rates in older adults, particularly those over 65 3
• 34% of those above age 65 have been affected by osteoarthritis 6

8. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

• 6.2% of adults have COPD 3
• Chronic respiratory diseases affected 11.7 million adults in 2022 8
• More common in older populations 4

9. Depression

• 16% of older adults sought treatment for depression in Medicare data 5
• 20.2% of all adults report depression 3
• Not a normal part of aging but significantly affects quality of life 5

10. Stroke (Cerebrovascular Disease)

• 3.4% of adults report stroke history 3
• Third leading cause of death among seniors 1
• Higher incidence with advanced age 4

References

1. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/older-american-health.htm
2. https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/most-common-health-concerns-seniors/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12007472/
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5732407/
5. https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults/
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4254543/
7. https://usafacts.org/articles/what-are-the-top-causes-of-death-for-people-65-and-older/
8. https://nchstats.com/statistics-chronic-disease-seniors/
9. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9930518/

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A total of 4 questions about chronic senior health was asked of Perplexity AI June 2025

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See related: The top 10 chronic health problems of children, women, seniors, and those with dark skins