Beyond living longer: Why we need to focus on healthspan, not just lifespan

For generations, our understanding of longevity has been remarkably simple: living longer was the goal. But as medicine advances and people live to increasingly older ages, a more important question is emerging: how well are we living those additional years?

This is where the concept of healthspan becomes critical.

Lifespan tells us how long we live. Healthspan asks how long we remain healthy, independent, active and able to enjoy the things that give life meaning. The distinction matters because adding years to life without adding health and quality to those years is not the future of longevity we should aspire to.

The relationship between lifespan and healthspan is also worth considering as we think about the future of longevity. According to the latest available WHO estimates, life expectancy at birth in the UAE is 78.3 years, while healthy life expectancy at birth is 67.3 years. That represents an 11-year difference between the length of life and the years people can expect to live in full health. The gap should not be interpreted as 11 years spent living with a chronic disease; rather, it offers a useful perspective on the broader question of how we can live longer while maintaining health and quality of life throughout those additional years.

This is why the future of longevity cannot be measured by lifespan alone. The opportunity is to increase the number of years people can remain healthy, active and independent.

Longevity, therefore, should not begin when we reach old age. It should begin much earlier, with the everyday decisions we make throughout our lives.

The choices we make today - how we eat, how much we move, how well we sleep, how we manage stress and whether we seek preventive care, can influence our health trajectory years from now. We often think of healthcare as something we turn to when something goes wrong. But the future of healthcare must increasingly be about understanding risk before disease takes hold and acting earlier.

The case for starting early is particularly clear when we look at physical activity. A study of young adults in the UAE found that 76.6% of its female participants were classified as sedentary or low active based on daily step counts, while female participants spent around 82% of their waking time sedentary. The study was conducted among university students and is not representative of the wider UAE population, but it offers a useful reminder that the foundations of healthy ageing are being shaped well before later life.

That requires a shift from reactive healthcare to proactive health.

Technology can accelerate this transition. Healthcare is increasingly capable of looking beyond isolated symptoms and understanding a person’s health through a broader set of indicators. Biomarkers, digital health tools and personalised assessments can provide insights that help individuals understand what may need attention before it becomes a more serious concern.

But technology should not replace healthy habits or the relationship between individuals and their doctors. Instead, it should help people make better-informed decisions and turn health information into meaningful action.

Personalisation will be particularly important. There is no single formula for healthy ageing. Two people of the same age can have very different health risks, lifestyles, genetic backgrounds and nutritional needs. The goal should therefore be to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach towards healthcare that recognises the individual.

This also means making prevention a normal part of life rather than something reserved for people who already have health concerns.

Regular health checks, appropriate screening, physical activity, balanced nutrition, sufficient sleep and attention to mental wellbeing are not isolated interventions. Together, they form the foundation of healthy ageing.

This shift is also reflected in how Dubai is approaching longevity at an ecosystem level. The recent approval of the Dubai Longevity Authority’s strategy and operating budget marks a move from establishing the sector towards implementation, with a focus on healthspan, research, clinical trials, innovation and responsible regulation. The Authority is designed to support the development and testing of new health and longevity solutions within a structured regulatory framework.

The strategy targets annual growth of around 31 per cent and aims to contribute more than Dh35 billion to Dubai’s economy over the next decade. More importantly from a healthcare perspective, it reflects a broader effort to bring science, innovation, talent, investment and regulation together in support of solutions that can help people live longer while remaining in good health.

Perhaps the biggest misconception about longevity is that it is primarily a conversation about older people. In reality, longevity is a lifelong project.

A person in their twenties may think about building healthy habits. Someone in their thirties may need to balance health with career and family responsibilities. In the forties and fifties, prevention and early detection become increasingly important, while later life may place greater emphasis on maintaining mobility, cognitive wellbeing, independence and social connection.

At every stage, the objective is the same: preserve the capacity to live well.

This is also why longevity cannot be reduced to supplements, fashionable diets or individual wellness trends. Healthy ageing is not achieved through one intervention or one test. It is built through consistent choices, supported by evidence-based healthcare and, when appropriate, personalised medical guidance.

We also need to change the way we measure success. A longer life should not be considered the only measure of progress. Can people remain mobile? Can they continue working if they choose to? Can they spend meaningful time with their families? Can they remain independent and engaged with their communities? Can they enjoy their later years without preventable disease becoming the defining feature of their lives?

These are healthspan questions.

The opportunity before us is therefore much bigger than simply extending human life. It is about extending the years in which people can live with vitality, purpose and independence.

Longevity should not be about chasing a number on a birthday cake. It should be about making the years we have healthier and more meaningful.

The most powerful longevity intervention may ultimately be one that begins long before we think we need it: understanding our health, acting on what we learn and making small, sustainable choices today that our future selves will benefit from.

The goal is not simply to live longer.

It is to live better for longer.

Alisha Moopen is Managing Director & Group CEO, Aster DM Healthcare GCC