While Americans are living longer than ever due to advances in healthcare, new research shows many of those years are burdened by poor health and chronic illness.
A recent Mayo Clinic study reveals a significant gap between lifespan (total years lived) and healthspan (years lived in excellent health), raising concerns about the quality of life in later years.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed health data from 183 World Health Organization (WHO) member states over 19 years from 2000 to 2019.
Globally, the average gap between lifespan and healthspan is 9.6 years. In the United States, it’s 12.4 years—the largest in the world.
Dr. Andre Terzic, the study’s senior author, explains, “The data show that gains in longevity are not matched with equivalent advances in healthy longevity. Growing older often means more years of life burdened with disease.”
Over the study period, global life expectancy increased by 6.5 years, but health-adjusted life expectancy rose by only 5.4 years.
For Americans, the widening health gap is particularly troubling. Chronic conditions like arthritis, back pain, and other musculoskeletal disorders, along with mental health and substance abuse issues, are major contributors.
Women are disproportionately affected, experiencing a healthspan-lifespan gap 2.4 years wider than men globally. In the U.S., this disparity is largely driven by women’s higher prevalence of mobility-limiting ailments.
The study also underscores a troubling paradox: countries with longer life expectancies often have larger healthspan-lifespan gaps. This pattern suggests that as medical advances extend life, they inadvertently create longer periods of late-life disability—periods for which many healthcare systems are ill-prepared.
In the U.S., despite its sophisticated healthcare infrastructure, the healthspan-lifespan gap grew from 10.9 years to 12.4 years between 2000 and 2019. Researchers point to an urgent need for a shift in focus from merely extending life to ensuring more of it is lived in good health.
“The widening healthspan-lifespan gap globally points to the need for an accelerated pivot to proactive wellness-centric care systems,” notes Armin Garmany, the study’s lead author.
Policymakers and healthcare providers, particularly in the United States, should take note of the study’s findings. As the global population continues to age, addressing the healthspan-lifespan gap will require a comprehensive overhaul of current healthcare systems. Strategies must shift from reactive treatments to proactive wellness and disease prevention to ensure that additional years of life are worth living.
For Americans, particularly those nearing retirement age, the implications are clear: investing in healthy lifestyles and advocating for healthcare reforms that prioritize quality of life over sheer longevity are crucial steps forward. The longevity revolution is here, but the race is not just about running longer—it’s about finishing strong.