In 2050, nearly one in three French people will be over 60 years old. What will be the state of health of this population? Santé Publique France has just published a report on the outlook for healthy aging in France. The opportunity to realize that life expectancy is not quite life expectancy in good health!
Aging and healthy aging
France is one of the leading European countries in terms of life expectancy. But what regarding healthy life expectancy? For this indicator, France drops to 11th European rank. This situation suggests that progress might be made to improve the health of the elderly and reduce their functional disabilities. The Public Health France report provides very important information to better take into account healthy aging, a major public health issue.
According to epidemiological data, while the indicators remain relatively stable for the elderly, certain indicators are worrying in subjects aged 40 to 64, the age group preceding retirement. The state of health of this population category is very informative of the evolution of the health and autonomy of this age group, 10, 20 or 30 years later. It is therefore necessary to act from the age of 40to enable the French to enter advanced ages with the maximum chance of aging in good health.
Identify modifiable risk factors from the age of 40
Cohort follow-up studies reveal that mid-life risk factors (ie between the ages of 40 and 50) are linked to the occurrence of serious health events, which will compromise aging well. Early consideration of risk factors and their correction are therefore essential to promote healthy ageing. For example, it is estimated that one third of dementias are linked to modifiable risk factors. A situation that is also found for cardiovascular diseases or a certain number of cancers.
Among the risk factors to take into account in priority include:
- The diabeteswith 10% of French people aged 40 to 54 in a state of prediabetes, which is often unrecognized;
- L’high blood pressurewith a quarter of French people aged 45 to 54 hypertensive, half of whom have no diagnosis and therefore no treatment;
- Lipid disorders;
- L’obesity
Prevent health problems, to age in shape
In parallel, a healthy lifestyle is associated with healthy agingrespecting good lifestyle habits as early as possible, such as:
- Low alcohol consumption;
- An absence of smoking;
- A healthy and balanced diet;
- Regular physical activity.
The report also reveals inequalities in risk factors for serious health events, in particular socio-economic or territorial inequalities. Mid-life health prevention, which is at the heart of “Health 40 and over” program of Public Health France, is essential to optimize the chances of aging in better health. Large-scale global actions are needed to allow healthy life expectancy to come as close as possible to life expectancy.
Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy
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