Slowing growth in life expectancy means few people will live to 100
New ScientistOCT 12 2024
Children born recently in regions with the oldest people are far from likely to become centenarians, with researchers predicting only 15% of females and 5% of males in the oldest-living areas will reach 100 this century.Data from the world's longest-lived populations show that the life-expectancy improvements made in the 20th century have slowed in the past three decades.
The average global life expectancy rose from 48 in 1900 to 67 in 1950, and again to 76 by the turn of the millennium, but by 2021 it had only risen to 77, falling short of the expected 83 if rapid increases had continued.Those born recently in these regions are far from likely to turn centenarians, with only 15% females and 5% males expected to cross that milestone this century.
Researchers argue that the focus should now be on extending the number of years lived in good health, known as healthspan, rather than solely focusing on lifespan extension.The average global life expectancy rose from 48 in 1900 to 67 in 1950 and 76 by the turn of the millennium. But by 2021, it touched only 77 and not 83 as expected.
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Aside from the great strides taken in extending human life and recent fears that those gains may be slowing, what ought to worry us more is that the gap between lifespan and healthspan is widening. Many people now spend their later years battling chronic conditions. It's more valuable to live fewer years in good health than to eke out a longer existence plagued by disease. This shift in perspective challenges us to prioritize not just longevity, but the quality of our extended lives.