Longer, but sicker lives? Survey reveals red flag in ‘Healthy Life’ on World Health Day; Indians focus on ‘slow ageing’

The focus of global healthcare has undergone a fundamental shift, as emphasised on World Health Day 2026. Now the priority isn't just adding years to a person's life, but also ensuring that those years are lived in good health.

However, a new nationwide survey by LocalCircles has raised a significant red flag for India, which shows that while Indians are living longer, we may be spending more of those years battling illness.

The survey underscored a widening gap between Life Expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy (HALE), primarily triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the pandemic, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), global life expectancy rose to 73.1 years by 2019, while HALE reached 63.5 years. But by 2021, “the pandemic reversed nearly a decade of progress, bringing life expectancy down to 71.4 years and HALE to 61.9 years,” the survey said.

In India, life expectancy at birth improved from 63.2 years in 2000 to 67.3 years in 2021, and a study published in The Lancet indicated continued increases.

By 2050, female life expectancy in India is projected to reach 79.8 years, while male life expectancy is expected to hit 76.2 years. The red flag, however, lies in the fact that while HALE is also projected to improve, it is not keeping pace with total life expectancy.

Therefore, Indians, particularly women, may spend a larger portion of their later years dealing with chronic health challenges.

The survey, which includes over 28,000 responses from 311 districts across the country, said that there is an increasing awareness of age reversal techniques.

“17% Indians surveyed say they have one or more individuals in their close social network who are actively working on slowing ageing through lifestyle, diet, exercise, supplements and therapy,” the survey found.

The survey identified five core pillars that these Indians are utilising to extend their healthspan:

A growing number of Indians are becoming aware of the need to be healthy to improve the quality of life, the survey said, but only 7.3% of Indians are personally and actively working on slowing the ageing process.

“This is a relatively small number, and much more awareness needs to be created about the importance of exercise, healthier diets and staying disease-free,” LocalCircles noted.

The survey also highlighted the economic implications of longer life expectancy — While it can increase healthcare costs and public expenditure, it also boosts labour supply, productivity, and growth in the healthcare sector.

Governments are therefore prioritising preventive care, wellness initiatives, and sustainable healthcare systems to ensure that longer lives are not only extended but also healthier and more fulfilling, LocalCircles said.