Countries with a higher development index have a higher life expectancy than underdeveloped countries.
Last update: May 20, 2019
Life expectancy is the average expected life span of an individual in a given context. It is one of the indicators chosen by the United Nations to assess the rate of development of the various countries of the world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) informs us that life expectancy varies greatly depending on the place of birth and where a person grows up. Like this, countries with a higher development index have a higher life expectancy than underdeveloped countries.
"Life expectancy has increased by 5 years since 2000, but health inequalities persist"
- World Health Organization (WHO) -
WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, declares that "the world has made great strides in reducing unnecessary suffering and premature deaths from diseases that can be prevented and treated," arguing however that progress has been erratic and that the best thing that can be done is to respect is helping all countries to obtain universal health coverage.
The gap that exists between developed and underdeveloped countries is getting deeper, and has a direct impact on the quality of life of citizens. The planning and improvement of public policies on a global scale, they are one of the best ways to reverse the situation and extend life expectancy in developing countries.
Life expectancy in Spain and the European Union
Lo European Health and Life Expectancy Information System (EHLEIS) it is part of BRIDGE-Health, whose key objective is to create a European health information system integrated into the EU's third health program.
Through the data obtained, they can plan new measures for the prevention and improvement of the quality of life of the populations of the European Union, working in the field of raising healthy life expectancy and preventing diseases, especially chronic or life-threatening ones.
According to ISTAT data updated to 2016, Spain ranks first for life expectancy together with Sweden and Malta for men, and fourth after Spain, France and Luxembourg for women.
What are the healthy habits that increase life expectancy?
The World Health Organization informs us about the factors that affect healthy aging. Although some variables related to aging are genetic, the context is just as important. In this sense, there are a number of contextual factors that influence premature aging.
The environment affects when it allows us or not to acquire healthy habits. WHO recommends following them as much as possible to prevent noncommunicable diseases.
"Maintaining healthy habits throughout life, in particular maintaining a balanced diet, performing periodic physical activity and abstaining from smoking, contributes to reducing the risk of contracting non-communicable diseases and improving physical and mental faculties".
-World Health Organization-
The idea is to consume at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, so as to reduce the risk of diseases and ensure the intake of the right number of dietary fibers. It is equally important to respect the hours of sleep, possibly at night, since rest is one of the factors that best enhance our vitality.
The WHO assures that an unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are the main risk factors for health on a global scale. As you can guess, healthy eating must start early in life to bring long-term benefits if maintained properly.
Adopting positive habits even in old age therefore becomes an important factor in determining the improvement of one's life. Basically, training and good nutrition help preserve cognitive function, as well as slowing down its deterioration and delaying addiction.
