A long life has always been considered a desirable objective for most people, and modern science, abundant food supply and hygienic living conditions are making it possible for ever greater parts of the population to achieve this goal.
Over the past 200 years the average life expectancy has doubled, and some experts say that human longevity has not even reached its peak yet. They are not talking about the distant future. In fact, the first person to live to a 150 may already have been born.
According to the National Institute on Aging, the once leading causes of illness and death – mostly through infectious and parasitic diseases – have all been dramatically reduced with vaccinations, dietary improvements, better health education, and overall higher standards of living.
Obviously, conditions still vary widely from country to country, but generally people now live much longer than ever, worldwide. In some places, those reaching 85 and older already make up the fastest growing part of the populace. Globally, their numbers will quadruple by mid-century. The number of centenarians is projected to increase 10-fold over the same time period.
Being able to extend life, of course, is a great success, especially when it comes with a reasonably high quality of life. But simply adding years of sickness, frailty and decline is not a very appealing prospect. Unfortunately, the progress we are making in terms of keeping people around longer is not always matched by advances in personal health and fitness – both physically and mentally.
Today’s seniors, especially in the developed world, could not only be the longest living but also the healthiest generation, based on the level of healthcare and health education available to them.
But sadly, the facts don’t bear this out. Dying prematurely from infectious diseases may be a thing of the past, but those threats have been replaced by a host of diet and lifestyle-related chronic illnesses like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Most of these are treatable and could be prevented altogether. But according to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only a miniscule percentage of the population pays enough attention and adheres to behaviors that can reduce the risk of developing these ailments.
And yet, the steps to take are simple and widely accepted as effective, proactive health measures. They include a healthful diet, regular exercise, persistent weight management, stress reduction, sufficient sleep, and avoidance of smoking, alcohol- and drug abuse. To follow any (or preferably all) of these, it is never too soon or too late.
Adding years to life may be a worthwhile pursuit for its own sake, but without adding life to years by maintaining good health, it will likely be a sadly diminished outcome.
Timi Gustafson R.D. is a registered dietitian, newspaper columnist, blogger and author of the book “The Healthy Diner – How to Eat Right and Still Have Fun”®. For more articles on nutrition, health and lifestyle, visit her blog, “Food and Health with Timi Gustafson R.D.” (www.timigustafson.com). You can follow Timi on Twitter, on Facebook, and Google+.
