Americans would rather live a shorter life in good health than a longer life with health issues, new poll finds
Americans would rather live a shorter life in good health than a longer life with health issues, new poll finds
It seems like everyone wants to live longer these days.
The mega-rich are taking extreme measures to get to age 100 and beyond, and ordinary Americans are looking to the world’s longest-lived people for advice on how to extend their lifespans.
But a recent survey found that Americans are no longer just looking for ways to live longer: they want to be healthier while doing so.
In a poll of 2,200 American adults, Medtronic and Morning Consult asked participants if they would prefer to live a shorter, healthier life or a longer life with health issues. The majority (66%) chose the former.
They found that Americans believe the definition of longevity should also consider if a person is free of significant health issues in old age.
Perhaps Americans’ view on living to age 100 has a lot to do with their expectations of what comes with it.
The results show that 62% agree or partly agree with feeling concerned that they won’t be as healthy or will be in pain if they live a longer life. More than half believe that they would be a burden to their loved ones if they live long.
The average life expectancy in the U.S. is 73.5 years for men and 79.3 years for women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though most people polled in the new survey would prefer to live to at least 90 years old, nearly 60% think they won’t live that long.
Additional concerns people have about living longer, according to the poll, are not having enough money to live the quality of life they want and being less able to spend time with their loved ones at an older age.
Still, many people (75%) are holding onto hope that advancements in technology will help them live long and be healthy simultaneously.
The actions that people say they’re taking to increase their lifespan are eating healthy, exercising and taking preventative health measures.
Yet, less than a third of Americans are discussing longevity with their doctor; the top reason for not having those conversations is that they “don’t think it is necessary.”
If you’re interested in knowing what steps you can take to increase your chances of living longer, here are five from Dr. Thomas Perls, professor of medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and director of the school’s New England Centenarian Study.
- Manage your levels of stress
- Prioritize good sleep
- Eat healthy foods
- Exercise often
- Avoid smoking
“Some people think that the older you get, the sicker you get and that they wouldn’t want to live to that age. And that’s actually very flawed reasoning,” Perls told CNBC Make It in 2022.
“The older you get, the healthier you’ve been.”
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