"The typical U.S. healthspan is 12.4 years shorter than the typical lifespan, meaning Americans can expect to spend more than 12 years of their lives grappling with chronic disease."
"As lifespans have increased, this stretch of ill health has only gotten longer: in 2000, the difference between the typical U.S. lifespan and healthspan was less than 11 years."
"Musculoskeletal conditions are the largest contributor to the troubling trend of declining healthspan, affecting one in three people in the United States."
"Osteoarthritis, which afflicts roughly 33 million Americans, gradually wears down cartilage in the joints, causing pain and disability."
Americans are living longer, with a life expectancy exceeding 79 years, but healthy life expectancy has not increased correspondingly. The typical healthspan has declined since the early 21st century, resulting in more years spent managing pain and chronic diseases. The gap between lifespan and healthspan is particularly pronounced in the U.S., where individuals can expect to spend over 12 years dealing with chronic conditions. Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of disability, affecting one in three Americans and costing over $380 billion annually.
Read at Fortune
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