Please find below summaries of national nutrition survey results providing information on nutrient and energy intake, current food consumption, as well as on lifestyle, eating behavior, and related disease risk of various population groups.

Global

• Healty Life Expectancy

 

U.K. 

• The aging population

 Global: Healty Life Expectancy

Life expectancy at birth measures the average number of years that a newborn baby can expect to live. This estimation is usually based only on the mortality rates of the population in a given year. Life expectancy at birth increased dramatically during the 20th century due to improved sanitation and public health. However, higher life expectancy is desirable only if it is linked to acceptable level of quality of life (healthy years of life).

 

In 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a new measure of population health: the disability-adjusted life expectancy (DALE) measures the equivalent number of years of life expected to be lived in full health, also called ‘healthy life expectancy’. DALE is defined as the total life expectancy based on average numbers of years males and females could expect to live in each country, minus the expected years of good health lost due to disability.

 

DALE at birth is higher for women than men in most countries. However, although women live longer, they spend greater amount of life with disability. There are great variations in life expectancy worldwide. Genetically speaking, a baby born in Indian village is no different than a baby born in Tokyo. But the Indian baby has to face more communicable diseases, unsatisfactory dietary supplies, and lack of medical care. An adequate nutrition to mitigate the burden of chronic disease and disability has been identified as a key factor to increase the chance for a healthy life.

 

World ranking and healthy life expectancy (DALE) for selected countries

 

 

Rank	Conutry	DALE (years)
1	Japan	74.5
2	Australia	73.2
3	France	73.1
4	Sweden	73.0
5	Spain	72.8
6	Italy	72.7
7	Greece	72.5
8	Switzerland	72.5
9	Monaco	72.4
13	The Netherlands	72.0
14	United Kingdom	71.7
15	Norway	71.6
16	Belgium	71.6
17	Austria	71.6
18	Luxembourg	71.1
20	Finland	70.5
21	Malta	70.4
22	Germany	70.4
24	USA	70.0
25	Cyprus	69.8
27	Ireland	69.6
28	Denmark	69.4
29	Portugal	69.3
34	Slovenia	68.4
35	Czech Republic	68.0
42	Slovakia	66.6
45	Poland	66.2
62	Hungary	64.1
63	Lithuania	64.1
69	Estonia	63.1
82	Latvia	62.2
160	South Africa	39.8
191	Sierra Leone	25.9

 

Reference

World Health Organization. The World Health Report 2000. www.who.int/whr/2000/en/index.html

To top

 U.K.: The aging population

Demographic surveys have shown a dramatic increase in the number of elderly people around the world (see below). An aging population represents a challenge for healthcare and pension costs as poor health would derail efforts to extend healthy working lives. Physical and cognitive changes can lead to years of lost good health. Safe nutritional interventions can help to slow the susceptibility to chronic disease, modulate the age-related decline in most organ functions and counter suboptimal nutritional status found in the elderly population. Good nutrition has the power to mitigate the burden of chronic disease and disability as well as to improve the quality of life of this rapidly growing segment of the world’s population.

 

• Life expectancy is rising by two years per decade
• By 2031 there will be 18 million pensioners (24% of the population, of which 2.3 million will be over 80)
• Those over 80 years old are the fastest-growing sector of the population
• Up to 65% of hospital beds for adults are occupied by people over 60
• In 1951, Britain had 300 people aged over 100; by 2031 it will be 34,000
• Only one in six Britons born 150 years ago reached 75, whereas two thirds of those born today will do so
• People over 60 currently constitute a fifth of the population but will be one third by 2031.

 

Reference

Greengross S. et al. Aging: a subject that must be at the top of world agendas. BMJ, 1997; 7115(315).

To top