We often hear that we are living longer, and many tend to assume this is a result of improvement in health services, healthier living, and advances in medical technology.
This phenomenon is a critically important issue as it has serious implications on the well-being of our society as well as the economy. Improving both the quality and the number of years that individuals are expected to live has implications for public expenditure on health, income, long-term care of older people and work participation.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) in the UK has just issued a report on the health prospects of the UK. In the absence of similar statistics available locally, we can assume that the lifestyle of many in Britain is not all that different from most other European countries.
One crucial distinction that needs to be made is that between healthy life expectancy and life expectancy. The first indicator measures the number of years a person is expected to live free of major debilitating diseases. The second indicator measures the average lifespan of the general population.
The first revealing finding of these statistics is that in the past seven years, healthy life expectancy from birth has not kept up with increasing life expectancy. Put simply, both men and women in the UK are living more years in poor health. For those of my generation, the baby boomers, there is some good news. Those over 65 are an exception to this worrying trend as they are not only living longer but are also enjoying more years of good health.
We need to invest in the quality of our public health service... give more attention to mental health issues
A study by the NHS confirms there is a worrying increase in the prevalence of mental health disorders in five to 15-year-olds. Over 11 per cent of British children in this age group are reported to suffer from some mental health disorder. Diabetes is also on the increase with 6.5 per cent of people affected by this condition.
The ONS confirms that currently, women in the UK spend almost 20 years of their life in poor health and 64 years in good health while men spend 16 years in poor health and 63 years in good health.
Another study by University College London reveals some other worrying trends in life expectancy. A 10-year study of 25,000 people in the UK and the US found that at the age of 50 the wealthiest men and women in society are able bodied for an additional eight to nine years compared to the poorest.
The UCL study published in the Journal of Gerontology suggests some reasons for these worrying trends. Poor people tend to be more sedentary, particularly if they are unemployed and fatter than rich people. The poorest in society are also more likely to drink too much alcohol, smoke and get less sleep and exercise.
Inequalities in Western societies are growing not just in incomes but also in health expectancies. Most governments are trying to address this issue. The introduction of a sugar tax to discourage people from consuming high-calorie food is the kind of measure that grabs the headlines but hardly reflects a long-term strategy to reduce obesity. It may also have some adverse economic effects. Recently, Coca Cola decided to move a plant it has in Sicily to Albania to avoid this tax introduced by the Italian government.
As in most cases, education is the best tool to change lifestyle trends. The most effective strategy is to intensify the campaign for healthy lifestyles in schools. Most of us know how we have to struggle to convince children to eat more fruit and vegetables and fewer sweets and soft drinks. Many feel a sense of guilt when they have to say “no” to angelic children begging for yet one more ice cream on a hot summer day.
Training in nutrition and physical activity need to be given the same importance as maths and science in our schools if we are to safeguard the prospects of good health for the younger generations.
We also need to invest in the quality of our public health service, which with an increasing population risks coming under more stress. We must also give more attention to mental health issues especially among schoolchildren. A free health service for all at the point of delivery is the jewel in the crown of our society.
Healthier living improves quality of life that is steadily replacing income growth as the prized objective of most people.