According to experts, particularly those living in countries south of the Sahara will see significant increases in life expectancy by 2050. In more developed regions, we can also expect to add several years to our lifespan, according to a comprehensive study.
In 25 years, the average person can expect to live several years longer, enjoying more years of good health before the onset of old age and disease.
These conclusions come from a comprehensive study mapping the most dangerous diseases as of 2021, which has only recently been made public.
Progress in Combating Dangerous Diseases
The study bases its projections on various factors, including the prevalence of diseases and mortality rates.
The international research team also considered other trends, such as education levels, income, and the number of pregnancies before age 25, to estimate life expectancy in different regions.
New advancements in combating several dangerous diseases, including COVID-19 and cardiovascular diseases, are key reasons for the anticipated increase in life expectancy.
The study predicts that by 2050, men will add 4.9 years to their lives, while women will gain an additional 4.2 years compared to 2022.
Researchers also project that by 2050, the average person will enjoy 67.4 years of good health, which is 2.5 years longer than in 2022.
Regional Differences
This improvement is especially pronounced in regions where life expectancy currently lags behind the global average.
In countries with already high life expectancies, such as Denmark, where the expected life expectancy in 2021 was 81.4 years, new breakthroughs in disease treatment and prevention will be less impactful, the researchers note.
But there are still opportunities to extend our lives by improving the prevention of lifestyle diseases.
"We face an enormous opportunity to impact world health by addressing metabolic and dietary risks, particularly those related to lifestyle diseases such as elevated blood sugar, BMI, and blood pressure," says Dr. Chris Murray, who contributed to the study, as reported by SciTechDaily.
