Is being 40 years old in a population with a life expectancy of 50 years the same as being 40 when the life expectancy is 80 years?
Do we get older?
Since the mid-19th century, we gain three months of life for every year that we survive.
For example, women born in Spain in the 1930s had, at the time of birth, a life expectancy of just 52 years, and more than half of them reached the age of 78.
¿SHOULD WE REJUVENATE?
The life expectancy with good health has been progressively increasing. The duration of life with severe limitations remains constant at the end of it.
This is leading many scientists to wonder if, as a society, we are aging or rejuvenating.
Do we get older?
Since the mid-19th century, we gain three months of life for every year that we survive.
For example, women born in Spain in the 1930s had, at the time of birth, a life expectancy of just 52 years, and more than half of them reached the age of 78.
¿SHOULD WE REJUVENATE?
The life expectancy with good health has been progressively increasing. The duration of life with severe limitations remains constant at the end of it.
This is leading many scientists to wonder if, as a society, we are aging or rejuvenating.
This episode explores how long humans can live, and whether we are growing old or becoming young again, all of which is directly affected by life expectancy. It is explained by Lola Puga, head scientist of the CSIC and expert in demographics and ageing.
Acknowledgements:
Acknowledgements: Lola Puga, Beatriz Terrero and Rafael de Corcuera.
Do we gain health expectancy in the same way
in all parts of the world?
No, health expectancy gains are very unequal and they are considered to be a good indicator of the quality of life in a region. For example, Spain has a high life expectancy, but its health expectancy is relatively low at the European level. This occurs in almost all of Mediterranean Europe and is known as the Mediterranean paradox. Research is being conducted in this area with the aim of closing the gap.
Report for Spain Report for Europe Report for the rest of the world