People are living longer than ever before across much of the world.
That is according to a new analysis of 204 countries and territories, published in The Lancet Public Health and reported by SciTechDaily.
The researchers examined trends between 1990 and 2023. The findings show that life expectancy is increasing faster than the number of years people spend in good health.
As a result, many people are spending more years living with illness or reduced physical functioning.
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Disease takes a greater toll
The study also shows that women generally live longer than men, but they also spend more years living with illness. This pattern is seen in many countries.
According to the researchers, a large share of the healthy years of life lost is linked to musculoskeletal disorders, mental health conditions, vision and hearing impairments, and injuries caused by falls.
Obesity, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure are among the most significant risk factors, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, as cited by SciTechDaily.
This country tops the list
Singapore ranks first in the world for both life expectancy and the number of healthy years of life.
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Despite the fact that its citizens live longer than anyone else, the gap between overall life expectancy and the years spent in good health is also widening in Singapore.
This means that more of those additional years are spent living with illness or disability.
According to the researchers, the findings suggest that future healthcare efforts should not focus solely on helping people live longer.
They should also ensure that more of those additional years are spent in good health.
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