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Recently Bloomberg reported that scientists are predicting that most infants born today in wealthy nations will live to be 1oo years old. Now researchers claim that man can now be considered as having four stages of life - child, adult, young old age and old old age.
Since 1950 the probability of surviving past 80 years of age has doubled for both sexes.
These facts have been revealed from a study of more than 30 developed countries.
Better treatment combined with earlier diagnoses and improved living conditions will see more than half the newborn babies, live to see a century.
Professor Kaare Christensen, from the Danish Ageing Research Centre at the University of Southern Denmark, who led the study said since 1840 life expectancy had been increasing and there was no sign of this trend slowing down. “If life expectancy were approaching a limit, some deceleration of progress would probably occur.” Life expectancy appears to have dramatically increased over the past three decades, in countries such as France, U.S. U.K., Germany, Canada, Japan and Australia.
The German and Danish researchers said, even without any further improvement, three-quarters of all babies will make it to their 75th birthday.
Danish researchers have revealed that as many as 30% to 40% of individuals remain independent, from the ages of 92 to 100. A study of US super-centenarians (age 110 to 119 years) showed that, even at these advanced ages, 40% needed little assistance, or were independent. Citing four health surveys in France, the scientists said people are living longer without becoming severely disabled, or afflicted with functional limitations.
The problem these nations are left with, is how to fund programs for the elderly, as the number of older citizens for every 100 working-age person, has risen from 16 in 1956, to 29 in 2006, in Germany alone. This is forecast to reach 60 by 2056, the researchers said.
Many experts believe healthy behavior for all ages was the key to enjoying living a longer life. Shorter working weeks may also be a contributing factor to longevity.
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