'Everyone wants to be fabulous'

2006-11-30 11:27

Leon-Ben Lamprecht

Cape Town - The 40s are the new 30s. That's one of the findings of a new Nielsen poll.

Respondents from all over the world, including South Africa, took part in the internet poll which the market research firm AC Nielsen describes as "the biggest of its kind".

The poll probed respondents for their views on age, plastic surgery, living with your parents in your late 20s, and the way in which advertisers approach older people.

It appears from the poll that perceptions of age are gradually changing.

Six out of 10 respondents said their 40s were the new 30s - nearly 68% South Africans felt that way.

According to a statement, women take the lead in turning back the clock, if it can be called that.

Worldwide, 65% of women agree that the 30s are the new 20s, compared with 59% of the men.

72% of women now see their 40s as their 30s, compared with 68% of men.

86% of women see the 60s as the new middle age, compared with 73% of men.

David McCallum of AC Nielsen notes that people generally live longer than in previous generations.

'If I can look like Cher...'

"Our perspectives on what constitutes a young adult, old, or middle-aged and our lifestyles during these phases have changed accordingly."

Another interesting development is that more than half the respondents think there's nothing strange about living with their parents until they're in their late 20s.

South Africa, at 58% is slightly above the world average, compared with Singapore where just less than 90% said it was OK to live at home longer.

One out of five respondents said they would consider cosmetic surgery when they were older (SA: one in four).

There's agreement around the world that advertising is obsessed with youth, 77% seem to think so, and this figure is highest in Indonesia (91%).

The artist-pianist, Rocco de Villiers, said in reaction that people think very differently about age.

"Oprah may be 90 one day and look like 30. It's one of those Hollywood things. Everyone wants to be fabulous.

"I still feel fantastic. Jeez, I feel as if I'm still 16," he said.

Patricia Lewis feels it's fantastic that people's perceptions are changing, "but maybe that's because I'm nearing 40".

"I'm a lot less stressed about age than before.

"I'll continue to embalm myself until I no longer can. If I can look like Cher when I'm 80, that would be fantastic," she jokingly adds.

- Die Burger