Extending lifespan but with more health issues? Adopt lifestyle adjustments to stay well as you age

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Life expectancy worldwide is increasing, but the additional years we’re living aren’t always healthy ones. This contributes to a growing number of older people experiencing poor health. The Global Burden of Disease study in the Lancet shows that most of the top ten health risks are lifestyle-related and can be altered by us. In the UK, from 1990 to 2013, life expectancy rose by 6.2 years for men, reaching 79.1 years, and by 4.4 years for women, reaching 82.8 years. However, only 4.7 of those years for men and 3.3 for women are anticipated to be healthy years. While most of the world saw similar improvements, dozens of countries, including Belarus, Belize, Gabon, Guyana, Paraguay, Syria, and all of southern Sub-Saharan Africa, had lower healthy life expectancy in 2013 compared to 1990.

Interestingly, for the first time, the increase in healthy life expectancy in the developing world (5.4 years for men and 6.4 years for women) was greater than in the developed world (3.9 years for men and 2.8 years for women). Interestingly, fewer than 4% of people today are completely free of any health issues, with many living with chronic, often under-reported conditions. The years people spend with disabilities are increasing in nearly every country, mainly due to chronic conditions like cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer, back pain, mental health disorders, dementia, road injuries, HIV/AIDS, and malaria–all of which have led to higher demand for care.

Comparing regions within the UK, EU15 countries, plus Australia, Canada, Norway, and the US, England’s north-west (with the north-east close behind) has levels similar to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the US. The East Midlands ranks with the UK average, akin to France, Canada, and Germany, while areas such as the south-west, south-east, and London perform similarly to Spain, Australia, and Norway. We could gain both longevity and better health by addressing the primary health risks we face. Globally, the top ten risks include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, alcohol consumption, high cholesterol, kidney disease, low physical activity, diets lacking fruits and vegetables, and drug use. These are part of 79 identified biological, behavioral, environmental, and occupational factors.

The UK faces similar issues, where smoking, high blood pressure, and obesity are top risks, with low physical activity also significant, comparable to Australasia, Ireland, and the US. Among developed countries, differences exist; for instance, alcohol is a greater issue in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and South Korea, whereas smoking is less problematic in Finland, Israel, and Singapore. Within the UK, Wales performs worse in terms of physical activity but better in controlling blood pressure, and drug use is a more significant challenge in the south-west, south-east, and eastern regions of England.

Lifestyle factors carry the most weight compared to metabolic (biological) and environmental factors affecting health. We are entering a time when focusing on funding for a single disease in isolation is ineffective, as health problems tend to cluster across all life stages, sharing biological and environmental risks. Critical risk factors for chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, and heavy alcohol use, might stem from family issues, social inequality, or poverty, subcultural beliefs or customs, selfish business practices, bullying or violence, poor education and awareness, depressive moods, and even weather changes.

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