Today is World Population Day. As populations age and demographic shifts reshape nations and economies, the challenge is to add not just years to life, but life to years. While improvements in public health have extended life expectancy, many of those additional years are lived with illness. By 2050, people are projected to spend an average of 11.4 years of their lives in poor health, up from 8.7 years in 2000.
What will it take to change that trajectory? McKinsey’s Alex Beauvais, Brad Herbig, Matt Wilson, and Pooja Kumar found that while prevention and treatment are both essential, scaling proven preventive interventions offers the greatest opportunity to improve health outcomes and strengthen economies. Healthier, more resilient populations are better able to participate in the workforce, boost productivity, and support long-term economic growth. This could generate as much as $12.5 trillion in global economic value by 2050.
The choices made over the next 25 years will shape the future of global health and economic prosperity. Investing in prevention alongside treatment can reduce the burden of disease, extend healthy life, and boost economic outcomes. This World Population Day, explore these insights on how investing in better health can help people, societies, and economies thrive.
The health of nations: Stronger health, stronger economies
The economic case for investing in healthy aging: Lessons from the United States
Investing in the future: How better mental health benefits everyone
Scaling mental health where life happens: Helping Santiago thrive across the lifespan
CARE for women: Investing in care delivery to improve women’s lives and livelihoods