Health span vs lifespan, what’s the difference? Lifespan is defined as the length of time a person is alive; comparatively, health span is generally defined as the length of time a person is alive and healthy and able to enjoy their normal day to day activities.
According to the CDC, the average lifespan for someone born in the late 2010’s is about 79 years old (CDC.gov). However, with the advancements in technology and healthcare, it’s not at all uncommon for people to live into their late 80s and early 90s these days. But how many of those years are people able to enjoy their normal day to day activities without health issues limiting them? At 80, are you going to be able to do the same type of activities that you do when you’re 50 or are you going to be severely limited because of diabetes, knee replacements, arthritis, or any of the other myriad of age-related health conditions? Do you really want to spend the last 15-20 years of your life being wheeled around in a wheelchair, or barely able to walk upstairs, pla