Over the coming year, the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC) will create the Healthy Ageing and Prevention Index, which will track, for the first time, how healthily countries across the G20 are living and ageing, and the impact on the economy and environment.

Bringing together data on life expectancy, health outcomes and the broader societal impacts of the economy and environment, the Index will map how countries across the G20 fare in promoting healthy ageing, preventative health and tackling health inequalities, and provide an opportunity to share best practice.

David Sinclair, Chief Executive of ILC argued:

“Following the pandemic, and a three-year global programme that sparked conversations from Abu Dhabi to Taipei, Austin, Geneva, Sydney, London all the way to the G20 Health Ministers, it’s clear that we’re living longer but not necessarily healthier lives. In an ageing world and as inequalities are on the rise, we need to focus spending on preventative healthcare. From vaccines to screenings to management of existing conditions, there’s so much we can do to keep people healthier for longer.”

Global data analysis by ILC, the UK’s specialist think tank on the impact of longevity on society, has found that:

• By 2050, the proportion of people aged 50 and over will increase by 11 percentage points, resulting in 40% of the G20 population being aged over 50.
• G20 citizens aged 50 and over collectively lived 118 million years with disabilities in 2019 due to largely preventable diseases.
• Across the G20, preventable conditions cost economies 1.02 trillion USD in yearly productivity loss among those aged 50-64 – this is roughly equivalent to the estimated loss in global worker income for the first half of 2021 as a result of COVID-19.

Alongside the Index, ILC will be working with like-minded international, third-sector and business leaders and holding a number of international events, including alongside the G20 in India and the G7 in Japan next year to shape the debate on healthy ageing and prevention. India’s G20 presidency in particular will be an opportunity to put healthy ageing on the international agenda, as countries emerge from the pandemic.

Avnish Goyal CBE, Chair of Hallmark Care Homes Foundation, said:

“Hallmark Foundation is delighted to support ILC-UK and work with its partners on this ground-breaking project to influence ageing well globally. The 2023 G20 summit in India provides a great opportunity to raise awareness of what can be done to promote health and well-being in later life and which countries are doing so more effectively. We are keen to share the lessons from benchmarking longevity with policymakers in the UK and across the world so that we can all age well, every step of the way.”

Sholpan Tursynbayeva, Global Affairs and Policy Lead, GSK commented:

“The threat of infectious diseases to ageing populations, and the gaps in the systems designed to address these, have been very starkly highlighted in the COVID-19 pandemic. For decades, most countries have implemented robust vaccination programmes for children, but adult immunisation programmes have consistently lagged. We are glad to support ILC’s Healthy Ageing and Prevention Index to help demonstrate to governments why prevention of diseases by vaccinating adults is so important.”

Ends

Notes

Contact press@ilcuk.org.uk or +44 (0) 208 638 0832 for press queries. Spokespeople are available for interview.

To find out more about ILC’s work on the Healthy Ageing and Prevention Index visit: Delivering prevention in an ageing world – ILCUK

The Healthy Ageing and Prevention Index has been supported by grants and charitable support from GSK, Hallmark, Pfizer and Sanofi.

About ILC

The ILC is the UK’s specialist think tank on the impact of longevity on society, and what happens next.

The International Longevity Centre UK was established in 1997 as one of the members of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance, an international network on longevity.

Since our inception, we have published over 275 reports, organised over 350 events including the annual Future of Ageing conference.

We work with central government, local government, the private sector, and professional and academic associations to provoke conversations and pioneer solutions for a society where everyone can thrive, regardless of age.