Global Study Reveals Rising Gap Between Lifespan and Healthy Years

New research highlights a growing disparity as people live longer but face more years of chronic illness, with the U.S. leading in healthspan-lifespan divide.

A Mayo Clinic study using WHO data from 183 countries found that the global healthspan-lifespan gap increased by 13% from 2000 to 2019, reaching an average of 9.6 years.
The U.S. has the largest healthspan-lifespan gap globally, with Americans living an average of 12.4 years in poor health, a nearly 30% higher gap than the global average.
Chronic conditions such as mental health disorders, substance use, and musculoskeletal diseases are major contributors to the U.S. health burden, particularly for women.
Globally, women experience a 2.4-year larger health gap than men, driven by conditions like neurological, musculoskeletal, and urogenital disorders.
Researchers emphasize the need for wellness-focused healthcare systems and targeted interventions to address region-specific contributors to the growing healthspan-lifespan disparity.