The New Age explores what it really means to grow older, and how daily lifestyle choices, medicine and social support can redefine ageing from an inescapable descent into a realm of opportunity
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Joyce Teo
- Singaporeans live longer but spend over a decade in poor health, with an 11-year gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.
- The Straits Times launches The New Age series to explore how lifestyle, medicine, and social support can redefine ageing and promote healthier lives.
- Singapore invests in longevity science while some clinics are measuring biological age, but some anti-ageing treatments lack solid evidence and can be costly.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – Ageing is one of the biggest health stories of our time.Singaporeans are living longer than ever, but extended life comes at a cost: Over a decade is spent in poor health
While Singapore ranks first in the world for both life expectancy (85.4 years in 2023) and healthy life expectancy (74.1 years), the gap between the two has widened to 11 years, from nearly nine years in 1990, according to a global study published in The Lancet Public Health
Women live longer than men, but they also spend more years burdened by ill health
This comes as the nation joined the ranks of the super-aged in 2026 – more than one in five people here are aged 65 and older, and this will progress to one in four by 2030
To examine how we can close the gap between growing old and living well, The Straits Times is launching The New Age, a year-long series exploring what it really means to grow older, and how daily lifestyle choices, medicine and social support can redefine ageing from an inescapable descent into a realm of opportunity
Starting on Sept 5, our first package tackles a question that has emerged as the country gets older: Can we change how we age?
We look at Singapore’s latest investments in longevity science, and what researchers here are working on to help us live longer, healthier lives, as well as the country’s emerging longevity economy, the science behind biological age, and the people actively changing their ageing trajectory
Public health initiatives are already promoting exercise, preventive health and ageing-in-place, but ageing cannot wait
It is not just the researchers, but also policymakers, doctors and a growing number of longevity clinics that are interested in measuring how quickly we age and how to rewind the clock
New tools are being harnessed in an attempt to estimate a person’s biological age, which, unlike your chronological age, refers to the state of your body, right down to the health of your cells. (This is the best predictor of your lifespan as well as the number of years you can expect to enjoy in good health.)
Meanwhile, clinics are assessing various aspects of health, from handgrip strength to cardiorespiratory fitness to insulin resistance, and more
Alexandra Hospital is the only public sector institution operating a healthy longevity research clinic, something it has been doing since 2023
But in the private sector, some hospitals have launched longevity services while longevity clinics offer personalised programmes, supplements and wellness services like infrared treatments that have anti-ageing claims
The science, however, is moving unevenly. Some approaches are backed by evidence, while high-tech anti-ageing treatments often remain ahead of evidence and can be relatively expensive
The New Age, which will run monthly, will cover a range of topics related to ageing to help you live a longer, healthier and happier life. Here is what to expect
Holistic ageing topics: Discover insights on everything from housing and social spaces to muscle, hormonal and sexual health, as well as critical issues like loneliness and caregiving
Practical lifestyle advice: Find actionable exercise tips and advice on how to live well, adapt to ageing and make better choices to lead fulfilling, vibrant lives
Expert commentaries and podcasts: Gain practical tips for your longevity journey through close examinations of key topics and interviews with doctors and scientists
If you are interested in extending the number of years you can spend in good health, whatever your age, this is the healthy longevity guide for you
After all, everyone wants to enjoy the journey of life. It is an achievable goal, and we now have more power than ever to make our later years as rewarding as possible
The New Age
Ageing
Health and well-being
Science
Medical research
