Why are we trying to increase longevity?

What is aging?

You have probably heard the phrase: age is just a number or, age is a state of mind, and we are here to say, yes, it is! Aging on the other hand is a different story. Aging can be defined biologically and has a scientific description. In aging research, aging is defined as a progressive loss of physiological integrity leading to functional impairment and an increased likelihood of death. [4] in simpler terms, as we age, we lose much of our performance and endurance, but that’s not all. Aging is THE GREATEST risk factor for most chronic illnesses such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cardiovascular diseases.

As mentioned in the “Baseline Report for Decade of Healthy Ageing” launched by WHO in 2020: “more than 142 million older people, or 14% of all people aged 60 years and over globally, are currently unable to meet all of their basic daily needs”. This is the image most of us have of our sunset years so a good question is why would we want to extend this period of our lives?

The decade of healthy aging.

The simple answer is, we are not. When talking about longevity we are not only talking about increasing life expectancy but healthy life expectancy (HALE). In short, longevity is not the same as immortality. Longevity of course is the science of adding more years to our life but more importantly, it is the art of healthy aging and increasing health span (see Figure 1).

We currently stand amid the decade of healthy aging, the decade between the years 2021 to 2030, with the goal of increasing the functional abilities of older people. WHO describes functional abilities as: 1) ability to meet one’s basic needs; 2) ability to learn, grow and make decisions; 3) mobility; 4) ability to build and maintain relationships; and 5) ability to contribute.

Figure 1 . image from connect health.

The contribution of longevity research to healthy aging.

Aging is at the root of all these functional impairments and chronic diseases. Therefore, the science of longevity by targeting aging as a whole instead of each of these issues individually can greatly help in the achievement of the goals of the decade of healthy aging.

At this point, this is not just an empty promise. The research being conducted in the field of longevity has effectively proven that we can promote healthy aging in animals. The diversity between people and their healthy life span also shows that there are biological differences that underly this diversity which can be used in medicine.

Targeting aging is an urgent necessity.

In 2030, 1 in 6 people will be aged 60 or older and this number is predicted to rise to 1 in 5 people by 2050. [1]

Therefore, addressing this issue now is essential for the long-term global economy. As the population ages, we risk reaching a point where the younger generation will no longer be able to support the care and medical needs of the elderly. This can ultimately lead to an economic crisis as well as a social safety collapse.

Longevity science is changing how we look at aging and how we age. To avoid reaching an unmanageable crisis, it is imperative that we urgently start taking steps in the path of longevity both as a community as well as each of us individually.

However, a question may arise after reading this article: is it too late for me to start a journey of longevity? The short answer is no, at Zova we believe it’s never too late to start and we are here to guide you to master the art of longevity. Because Longevity Begins When You Become It. And what better time to start this journey than the decade of healthy aging…

To find out more about the science of longevity and the actions you can take to increase your health span, subscribe to our mailing list and stay tuned.