That is, childhood diseases, nutritional deficiency, poverty, and lack of education might be contributing to what is now viewed as normal aging. Childhood health problems have been linked to a variety of morbidities later in life, including arthritis, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer, even when socioeconomic status is controlled for ( Blackwell 2001 ). According to the Barker hypothesis, prenatal conditions can have a large effect on health in later life as well, with poor nutrition in utero related to increased cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other ailments in later life ( Barker 1995 ). Many elderly alive today matured during the two world wars and the long depression period, when malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies were still common. The Baby Boom cohort, by contrast, grew up among much better health, economic, nutritional, and educational conditions. Because of antibiotics and immunizations they will have been largely untouched by the ravages of childhood disease. Education is also strongly correlated with psychological function, health behaviors, and biological conditions ( Kubzsansky et al. 1998 ). Persons who are not high school graduates are at almost twice the risk for experiencing declines in functional abilities in older adulthood. It is encouraging that national trends in educational attainment among the elderly are so positive, with future cohorts having completed many more years of schooling than the current elderly. However, even older adults without much formal education can benefit from programs and activities that keep their minds supple and active. Trends in healthy behaviors are not as encouraging as