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New Analysis by Vitality Reinforces Impact of Lifestyle and Prevention Efforts to Healthy Aging and RetirementCHICAGO, Sept. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifestyle improvements not only bolster the health and life expectancy prospects of younger adults, but also have a material impact on post-retirement life, according to research conducted by Vitality for the Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute. The research, "Maximizing Health Span: A Literature Review on the Impact of a Healthy Lifestyle on Retirement," explores the key health interventions that not only facilitate a longer life, but one imbued with good health. While people are living longer on average, the number of healthy years has lagged, resulting in a "health span gap." This research highlights the pivotal role that well-established interventions play in bridging this gap, encompassing prevention activities (including, but not limited to, vaccines and screenings), condition management, physical activity, and nutrition. The literature review also delves into the frontiers of healthy aging research from facilitating aging in place to the increasing utility of technology in prevention and health promotion. "For many, retirement is no longer viewed as the closing of a primary chapter, but an integral second half of life, ripe with opportunity, provided individuals can sustain their health and finances," said Daniel Kotzen, Director, Product & Analytics, for Vitality Group, a global health and wellness company committed to making people healthier. "Incorporating robust interventions for modifiable risk factors benefits not only individuals, but also employers, halth plans and society as a whole by reducing healthcare costs and care needs in retirement." Themes related to healthy aging identified in the analysis include:
The study highlights the central role that modifiable risk factors have on health outcomes, not only pre-retirement, but well beyond age 65. With an aging U.S. population, there is an urgent need for accessible and effective interventions that extend well beyond the individual. It means removing barriers to access to health promoting activities; the robust utilization of technology to facilitate healthy behaviors and to ensure that people can age in place if they so choose; creating workplaces that champion and value the important contributions of older adults who are working post a traditional retirement age; and creating healthy and safe community environments to empower healthy aging more broadly. By adopting such a multi-faceted approach, individuals, employers, and insurers all stand to share in the value of people living longer, healthier, and – ideally – more purpose-filled lives. About Vitality Group
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