What If Our Children Lived Shorter Lives Than We Do?

Despite medical breakthroughs, peace, and modern technology, a growing number of warning signs suggest that future generations may see their life expectancy stall — or even decline. Poor lifestyle habits, chronic stress, pollution, and widening inequalities are quietly reshaping our health horizons.

Key Fact 1 — Life Expectancy Gains Have Slowed to a Crawl

In France, women gained just 0.2 years and men 0.7 years of life expectancy between 2014 and 2023 — a fraction of the gains seen in the late 20th century.

1. A Century of Progress… Slowing Down

In the 20th century, life expectancy in France nearly doubled — from around 45 years in 1900 to about 82 years today. In 2024, it stands at 85.6 years for women and 80.0 years for men.

But here’s the twist: over the past decade, gains have been minimal. Between 2014 and 2023, life expectancy rose by just +0.2 years for women and +0.7 years for men. Most of the improvement now comes from pushing the limits of longevity at very old ages, while reductions in younger-age mortality have already been largely achieved.

In other words, we may be reaching the ceiling of what medicine alone can do — and lifestyle factors could pull that ceiling lower.

Key Fact 2 — Healthy Life Expectancy Is Falling

The number of years lived without major illness or disability has begun to decline in France, returning to 2020 levels.

2. The Warning Signs for the Future

Statistical projections remain cautious. By 2060, France’s national statistics agency expects only a +2.5-year gain for men and a mere +0.6-year gain for women at birth. At age 60, those numbers drop even further.

The problem? The slowdown of the 2010s casts doubt on whether even these modest gains will materialize. And when we shift the focus from life expectancy to healthy life expectancy — the years lived without major illness or disability — the picture gets worse.

Key Fact 3 — Lifestyle Is the New Health Frontier

Ultra-processed diets, physical inactivity, and chronic stress are now considered major drivers of premature mortality in developed nations.

3. Lifestyle as the Invisible Brakes

Medical advances have never been greater, but our modern way of living is quietly sabotaging them:

- Ultra-processed diets high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats are fueling obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

- Sedentary lifestyles — prolonged sitting, low physical activity — are now considered a leading preventable cause of death worldwide.

- Chronic stress from work, social isolation, and the relentless information flow of the digital age is linked to inflammation, anxiety, and depression.

- Environmental toxins such as endocrine disruptors in plastics, pesticides, and cosmetics may be raising the risk of cancer and infertility.

Some anthropological studies have found that traditional-living populations show no increase in chronic inflammation with age — unlike their industrialized counterparts. The culprit seems less “aging” itself and more “how we age” in modern society.

4. The Gap Between Living Longer and Living Well

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: many of us are living longer but spending more of those extra years in poor health. The term “healthspan” — the length of time we live free from serious disease — is lagging far behind our total lifespan.

Yes, there’s excitement in longevity science about genetic therapies, senolytic drugs, and compounds like rapamycin. But for now, the most effective tools remain simple and old-fashioned:

- A Mediterranean-style diet

- Regular physical activity

- Avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol

- Maintaining a healthy weight

These habits alone can add a decade or more of healthy life, without the need for futuristic medicine.

Conclusion: The Future Isn’t Guaranteed

Life expectancy is not a one-way street. The last century’s gains were remarkable, but they are not irreversible. Medical progress has delayed death, but our modern habits — the food we eat, the way we move (or don’t), the stress we endure, and the environment we inhabit — will determine whether our children live longer… or shorter lives.

The challenge is both personal and collective:

- Collective — public policies that promote healthier food, more accessible exercise, cleaner air, and reduced inequality.

- Personal — choices we make every day that can add years to our lives… and life to our years.

Because in the end, it’s not just about living longer — it’s about living better.