Gianfredi Vincenza, Nucci Daniele, Pennisi Flavia, Maggi Stefania, Veronese Nicola, Soysal Pinar
Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale Igiene Alimenti e Nutrizione, Dipartimento di Igiene e Prevenzione Sanitaria, Agenzia di Tutela della Salute (ATS) Brescia, Viale Duca degli Abruzzi, 15, Brescia, 20124, Italy.
Aging Clin Exp Res. 2025 Apr 17;37(1):125. doi: 10.1007/s40520-025-03021-8.
Population aging is one of the most significant global demographic changes of the 21st century, driven by increased life expectancy and declining fertility rates. This phenomenon presents both achievements and challenges for public health systems worldwide.
On the one hand, advances in healthcare and socio-economic conditions have contributed to longer lives and improved quality of life for older adults. On the other hand, aging populations are increasingly affected by chronic diseases, greriatric syndromes, and multimorbidity, leading to greater healthcare demands and higher associated costs.
This manuscript explores evidence on regards of the impact of aging on healthcare and economic systems, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift toward healthy aging.
Healthy aging, as defined by the World Health Organization, focuses on the maintenance of intrinsic capacity, physical, mental, and social well-being throughout life. It highlights the importance of preventive healthcare, proper nutrition, and regular physical activity in delaying the onset of chronic conditions and maintaining functional independence. Furthermore, the manuscript addresses the challenges faced by healthcare infrastructures and pension systems as they adapt to aging populations, with particular attention to the strain caused by workforce shortages and the rising need for long-term care.
A coordinated public health approach is essential to promote healthy aging and mitigate the economic and societal impacts of population aging.
This paper underscores the need for integrated health policies and multidisciplinary care models to ensure that longer life expectancy is accompanied by better quality of life for older individuals.
人口老龄化是21世纪全球最重大的人口结构变化之一，由预期寿命延长和生育率下降所致。这一现象给全球公共卫生系统带来了成就和挑战。
一方面，医疗保健和社会经济状况的进步使老年人寿命更长、生活质量提高。另一方面，老龄化人口越来越多地受到慢性病、老年综合征和多种疾病并存的影响，导致医疗需求增加和相关成本上升。
本手稿探讨了老龄化对医疗保健和经济系统影响的相关证据，强调需要向健康老龄化转变范式。
世界卫生组织所定义的健康老龄化侧重于一生中内在能力、身体、心理和社会福祉的维持。它突出了预防性医疗保健、适当营养和定期体育活动在延缓慢性病发作和维持功能独立方面的重要性。此外，本手稿论述了医疗基础设施和养老金系统在适应老龄化人口时所面临的挑战，尤其关注劳动力短缺造成的压力以及对长期护理需求的不断增加。
协调一致的公共卫生方法对于促进健康老龄化和减轻人口老龄化的经济及社会影响至关重要。
本文强调需要综合卫生政策和多学科护理模式，以确保预期寿命延长的同时，老年人能享有更高的生活质量。
