New research on ageing has revealed that older individuals in England are experiencing better health than ever. Published in the journal Nature Ageing, the study points out a significant slowdown in the decline of health associated with ageing, offering promising prospects for a healthier ageing process. According to the findings, people in their seventies are now enjoying a quality of life comparable to those in their sixties in previous generations. 

With rising concerns over cancer and dementia rates, this study provides a hopeful perspective. It shows that today's elderly population has better physical and mental balance than previous generations at the same age which ultimately says seventy is the new sixty.

As per the study, a 68-year-old person born in 1950 is expected to have the same health as someone 62 years old from a decade earlier. John Beard, a professor of ageing at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, remarked, “We were surprised by just how large these improvements were, especially when comparing those born after World War Two with earlier generations.”

The researchers analyzed data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, looking at individuals born between 1920 and 1959, now aged 65 to 104. Their focus was on evaluating cognitive, locomotor, psychological, and sensory functions, rather than specific diseases.

Improvements in education, nutrition, sanitation, and advancements in medical treatments, such as for high blood pressure and joint replacement, have played a significant role in these achievements.

On a global scale, these findings align with similar trends. For instance, an analysis using data from the China Health and Retirement Study noted, “Our research suggests there have been significant improvements in functioning in more recent cohorts of older people in both England and China.”

Professor Jay Olshansky from the University of Illinois, who was not involved in the study, called it “powerful,” adding that it provides “an optimistic message for the future.”