South Koreans Live Longer, But Healthy Years Lag Behind

South Koreans are living longer, but not necessarily healthier lives. The nation's life expectancy climbed to 83.4 years in 2023, a significant jump from 71.7 years in 1990. Yet, the number of years spent in good health lagged behind, increasing by only 9.4 years during the same period.

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Improving population health in the future requires a focus not just on helping people live longer, but on helping them live healthier.

This growing disparity means individuals are spending more years living with illness or disability. A study by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) analyzed data from 204 countries and regions between 1990 and 2023. It found that globally, the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy widened by an average of 1.9 years, reaching 10.7 years.

In South Korea, this gap expanded from 9.3 years to 11.6 years. The study highlighted that this isn't just an issue of old age; the period of unhealthy living extends across adulthood. Musculoskeletal disorders, particularly lower back pain, were identified as the leading cause of reduced healthy life years globally, followed by mental health conditions, sensory impairments, and unintentional injuries.

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Healthy aging should be evaluated not only by how long people live but also by healthy life expectancy.

Researchers emphasize the need to shift focus from merely extending lifespan to improving healthspan. "Improving population health in the future requires a focus not just on helping people live longer, but on helping them live healthier," said Dr. Christopher Murray, IHME director and study co-author. He stressed that reducing the time spent in unhealthy conditions requires increased investment in prevention, long-term disease management, and chronic care.

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To reduce the period spent in unhealthy conditions, we need to expand investment in prevention and long-term disease management and chronic care.