Studies from the University of Adelaide show that boomers currently have the highest level of obesity of any age group in Australia.
However, new research led by Rhiannon Pilkington has revealed some alarming statistics. She compared obesity levels between the two generations at equivalent ages.
Using data from the National Health Survey, she compared Generation X in 2008 to boomers at the same age, in 1989.
"This comparison paints a very poor picture of Generation X. It gives rise to major concerns for the future health of Gen X and Australia's ability to cope with that burden," said Pilkington.
"At the same age, Gen X males have nearly double the prevalence of obesity: 18.3 per cent compared with 9.4 per cent for boomers. There is a smaller but still significant difference in females, with 12.7 per cent of Gen X women being obese in 2008 and 10.4 per cent of boomer females obese in 1989.
"This does not bode well for the future health of Generation X," she said in a statement.
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According to Pilkington boomers and Gen X together make up more than 75 per cent of Australia's workforce.
Their health and the role of the workplace in promoting a healthy, or unhealthy, environment is of critical importance to the Australian economy, to society and to people's quality of life, she said.
"Obesity has become the new smoking - it's a major driver of ill health, with coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes highest on the list of preventable illnesses.
"Obesity also costs billions of dollars to our economy each year. Anything we can do to mitigate the damage being done to both generations of Australians by obesity will be hugely important for the future of our nation," said Pilkington.