Although research shows that people are living longer, a study on 183 WHO member countries reveals a widening gap between lifespan and healthspan — the number of years lived in good health. The data also shows a 25% gender disparity worldwide, with women experiencing a more significant gap than men. In 2019, the average global gap between lifespan and healthspan was 9.6 years, a 13% increase since 2000. The US recorded the world’s most considerable divide, with people living an average of 12.4 years with disability or illness, according to the researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, US.
