Despite huge investments in healthcare in Germany, life expectancy has fallen below the EU average for the first time - to 81.2 years. These figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that Germany is about three years behind Spain, Italy and Switzerland, reports German public broadcaster ARD.
The explanation is that the age limit in Germany is rising more slowly than in other countries. At the same time, Germany ranks first in Europe in healthcare spending - 12.6 percent of GDP is allocated for this purpose, or an average of 5,300 euros per person per year. In this indicator, Germany exceeds the EU average by 50 percent. According to the latest data, healthcare spending in 2023 fell to 11.8 percent of GDP, but this share remains the highest in the EU.
In connection with the shortage of medical personnel, the OECD calls for more efforts to maintain good health in old age. According to the study, 65-year-olds in European countries have an average of 20 more years of life ahead of them, but more than half of them suffer from diseases or disabilities. Women are more affected than men.
Physical activity is a determining factor
"A large number of diseases in old age can be prevented if people take measures against important risk factors throughout their lives," the study says. Physical activity is the top priority, but only about 20 percent of people over 65 get enough exercise.
At the same time, obesity also increases with age, reaching its highest values of 20 percent in people between 65 and 74. And overweight is an important factor in a number of chronic diseases. The healthier the elderly, the less countries would have to invest in healthcare, the OECD emphasizes.
In addition, in 2022 and 2023, a shortage of doctors was registered in European countries, and in 15 countries - also in service personnel. "Better working conditions and pay are crucial for restoring the attractiveness of the profession", the OECD points out.
The Swiss will get even older
In Switzerland, which ranks first in Europe in terms of longevity, people expect to reach an even higher age in the coming years. The insurance company Swiss Re makes exactly such a forecast - based on progress in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Improvements are also expected in the treatment of Alzheimer's and neurodegenerative diseases, but also in lifestyle and access to medical care.
As Paul Murray from Swiss Re points out to the Swiss "Handelszeitung", medical research is crucial for increasing the age at which people can live. At the same time, however, each individual must make efforts to maintain good health and prolong their life, he says. The Swiss publication recalls that in the 20th century, new medications to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels led to an increase in the global life expectancy from 55 years (in the late 1950s) to well over 70 in 2020.
Why is the US lagging behind?
The US is different from other industrialized countries, points out "Handelszeitung": according to 2019 data, only the top 10 percent of the population in socio-economic terms reaches the European average age of 80 for men and 84 for women. Poorer men in the US, i.e. among those 10 percent at the bottom of the ranking, live an average of 73 years. All this is related to health insurance, which is a consequence of socio-economic inequality.
Both Japan and Switzerland
In industrialized countries, the highest life expectancy is reached by the Japanese and the Swiss - 84 years. In both countries, this is due to advances in the treatment of circulatory diseases. In Japan, for example, between 1980 and 2012, the number of deaths due to stroke was reduced by 80 percent, through relatively simple measures, such as the recommendation to eat less salt.
According to Natalie Kelly of Swiss Re, the factors that would contribute to the increase in the maximum age are the following: medical technology, changes in lifestyle and access to healthcare.