Austrians live longer, but healthy years are rare!

Austrians live longer, but healthy years are rare!

Austria's citizens have a significant catch -up requirement in international comparison in healthy life expectancy. While the average life expectancy for men is 79.3 years and for women at 84 years, men only reach 63.1 years of life and women 64.7 years. These “healthy years of life” are defined as years without restrictions on activity and without disability. According to an article by the Kleine Zeitung , the last years of life are often characterized by physical, psychological and financial stress.

Compared to Austria, healthy life expectancy in Scandinavia is around ten years higher. This raises questions about the lifestyle factors that are crucial for health. This includes sleep, nutrition, addiction behavior, movement and social contacts, all of which represent a basic requirement for a longer and healthier life.

Health as the basis for quality of life

The importance of health extends beyond personal well -being. Good health not only increases the chances of education, a corresponding job and social relationships, but also promotes productivity and prosperity. This is supported by the observations of the Oecd that the life expectancy has increased significantly in the past 50 years. The average is currently 81 years.

The highest life expectancy among the OECD countries has Japan at the age of 84, while Mexico has the lowest figures at the age of 75. These differences are significant and can be explained by improved living standards, environmental factors and health expenditure. Chronic, avoidable diseases are the main cause of deaths and disabilities in most OECD countries, which underlines the need for a healthy lifestyle.

The challenges and social consequences

Another central topic that is related to the health debate is the increasing child poverty in Austria, which the Volkshilfe draws attention to. Last year, 313 children and adolescents from families at risk of poverty were supported. This support is made through the "Children's Health. It is warned that the lack of therapeutic options can have long -term consequences and that poverty and illness will reinforce.

In addition, Volkshilfe calls for basic child protection to meet the growing challenges. In view of the high economic costs caused by lower healthy life expectancy, improvement in public health is an urgent task. As studies show, increased health promotion could support particularly disadvantaged groups and increase healthy years of life among the population. Information of the National Institutes of Health show that demographic changes also influence the demand for social services and health care in Germany.