Study shows many are likely to live into their 90s by 2030
- Researchers used data to estimate the life expectancy of countries by 2030
- They predict that women in South Korea will reach nearly 91 by this time
- While the US will have one of the lowest rates in the Western world, they say
- Experts believe people will eventually survive until they are 120 years old
Average life expectancy will soar into the 90s in many parts of the world in a decade, a study predicts.
Despite scientists once thinking living for this long was impossible, medical advances are continuing to break all barriers.
Women in South Korea are projected to reach 91 by 2030, mainly due to investments in their health care. They also led the list for men.
While the US will have one of the lowest rates in the western world as a result of relatively high child and maternal mortality rates, homicides and obesity.
And it doesn’t stop there. Experts believe that people will eventually survive until they are 120 years old.
Despite scientists once thinking living past 90 was impossible, medical advances are continuing to break all barriers
Imperial College London researchers used death and longevity trends to estimate life expectancy in 35 developed countries by 2030.
Study author Professor Majid Ezzati said: ‘We repeatedly hear that improvements in human longevity are about to come to an end.
‘Many people used to believe that 90 years is the upper limit for life expectancy, but this research suggests we will break the 90-year barrier.
‘I don’t believe we’re anywhere near the upper limit of life expectancy – if there even is one.’
They predicted girls born in the UK that year will be expected to live to 85 – 21st of the 35 countries – and boys to 83, 14th of the 35.
The team, who worked alongside the World Health Organization, predicted a girl born in South Korea in 2030 will on average live to 91 and a boy to 84.
Imperial College London researchers used death and longevity trends to estimate life expectancy in 35 developed countries by 2030. South Korea led the list for men, at nearly 84, while Serbia finished bottom with an average of 73
Women in South Korea are projected to reach 91 by 2030, mainly due to investments in their health care, while those in Macedonia are only expected to reach 78
French girls, with an average of 89, and Swiss boys, nearly 84, will have the highest life expectancies in Europe.
But the US is predicted to have the lowest among high-income countries, 80 for boys and 83 for girls.
At the bottom of the list were Macedonia for women at nearly 78, and Serbia for men at about 73.
The research, published in the Lancet, also suggests the gap in life expectancy between women and men is closing.
Professor Ezzati added: ‘Men traditionally had unhealthier lifestyles. They smoked and drank more, and had more road traffic accidents and homicides.
‘However as lifestyles become more similar between men and women, so does longevity.’
The researchers also predicted how much longer 65 year olds in 2030 would live.
They guessed that among men, those in Canada would live the longest, surviving another 23 years.
Among 65-year-old women in 2030, they estimated that South Koreans would live the longest, another 28 years.
