UK - LONDON, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- The number of British centenarians, increasing at a seven-fold rate in one generation, poses a problem for health and pension officials, authorities say.

The Office for National Statistics says Britain will have nearly 90,000 people over the age of 100 by 2034, which is a record number of people aged 100 or over, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.

Though people are living longer due to advances in diet, health practices and better medical treatment, those contracting debilitating diseases such as cancer could strain the system, placing a higher demand for nursing care.

Pension experts worry it will be impossible to finance the retirements of even more people in retirement. If the trend continues, there will be three people in their 90s for every newborn by 2050, the Telegraph said.

Michelle Mitchell, charity director at Age UK, said: "The growing number of people aged 100 and over is cause for real celebration. However, increased lifespan alone is not a measure of real progress.

"People in later life don't simply want to live longer, they also want to live better. For this to happen, we all need to help in breaking down the ageist barriers that make older people second-class citizens and building a world where they can flourish," Mitchell said.

Originally published in United Press International