Can we change how we age? ST launches year-long series The New Age on living long, and living well
ST’s year-long ageing series The New Age kicks off by asking: Can we change how we age?
The Straits Times has launched a year-long series called "The New Age" to explore the topic of ageing and how to live long and well. Singapore currently has the highest life expectancy (85.4 years in 2023) and healthy life expectancy (74.1 years), but the gap between the two has increased to 11 years since 1990. The series will examine how lifestyle choices, medicine, and social support can redefine ageing and turn it into an opportunity rather than an inevitable decline.
The first package focuses on whether it is possible to change how we age. The study highlights Singapore's investments in longevity science and research, as well as the emerging longevity economy. Singaporean researchers are working on various aspects, such as biological age, which is a better predictor of lifespan and healthy years compared to chronological age.
Clinics in Singapore are assessing health factors like handgrip strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and insulin resistance to help people understand their biological age. While some approaches to ageing have solid evidence, high-tech anti-ageing treatments often lack scientific support and can be costly. The series will cover various topics, including housing, social spaces, muscle, hormonal and sexual health, loneliness, caregiving, practical lifestyle advice, and expert commentaries to help readers lead longer, healthier, and happier lives.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
