{
  "id": 1967555,
  "title": "Impact of extreme heat ‘underestimated’ on those 60 and older: Lancet study",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/impact-of-extreme-heat-underestimated-on-those-60-and-older-lancet",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-19T16:06:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12025269/extreme-heat-older-adults-impact-study/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent study published in The Lancet highlights that the extent of extreme heat exposure on people aged 60 and older has been significantly underestimated. Researchers from Stanford University measured the impact of heat on three age groups: young adults (18-39 years), middle-aged adults (40-59 years), and older adults (60+ years). They found that if global temperatures rise by 1.5°C, nearly a quarter of the world's older population (22%) will experience prolonged and widespread exposure to heat levels that their bodies cannot cool down effectively.\n\nAccording to NASA, Earth's average temperature in 2024 was 2.30 degrees Fahrenheit (1.28°C), marking the warmest year on record. The study emphasizes that as the planet heats up, the scale and duration of intolerable heat will increase dramatically, affecting far more individuals than previously thought. India, with a population of 648.4 million people, tops the list as the country with the highest number of people exposed to at least 180 hours of uncompensable heat stress annually at a 3°C warming rate.\n\nIt was also discovered that at least 10 million older adults (representing at least 80% of the older adult population) experience 180 hours or more of heat limit exceedance each year. Furthermore, older adults in South Asia and the Persian Gulf could face day-and-night exposure for three consecutive months at 3°C warming or higher. The study predicts that the number of people aged 60 and older is expected to double from 1 billion in 2020 to 2.1 billion by 2050, accounting for 21% of the world's population.\n\nProjected to double from 1 billion in 2020 to 2.1 billion in 2050, older adults are expected to face disproportionately severe and imminent health risks. The study also highlights that more than two-thirds of this population is anticipated to reside in low-income and middle-income countries, many of which are vulnerable to emerging uncompensable heat stress due to climate change. The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report projects that the average person experienced 16 days of dangerous heat in 2024, a total of over 20 heatwave days per person, a fourfold increase over the last two decades.",
  "summary": "The impact of extreme heat on people 60 years of age or older has been 'underestimated' a new study published in The Lancet suggests.",
  "key_points": [
    "Study reveals underestimated impact of extreme heat on older adults (60+)",
    "22% of world's older population at risk with 1.5°C temperature rise",
    "India leads with highest number of people exposed to heat stress"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Impact of extreme heat ‘underestimated’ on those 60 and older: Lancet study",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/impact-of-extreme-heat-underestimated-on-those-60-and-older-lancet",
        "published": "2026-08-19T16:06:58.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}