MORE ABOUT LONGEVITY

Just 200 years ago the average baby did not live beyond 40. Babies born today are on average expected to live beyond age 80. This growth reflects what we have learnt about longevity and how our society has made use of this - through better education and communications, infrastructure, better laws and governance and greater wealth to invest in living standards.

While most people realise this remarkable change is ongoing, few realise what it can mean for them personally.

If we took at a very large group of 65 year olds in Australia, we know on average how long they will survive. This figure shows how many are likely to die, in groups of five years. The average survival is 21 years. It sits inside the blue column. Less than a quarter of the total age group are near average, so the average is not very helpful. At this age men live about three years less than women.

Understanding where each of us might be within our own age group - and why - helps us to focus on our own longevity and what we might do about it.

The SHAPE Analyser helps you to do just that. Go back to Home