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20-10-2022 |
Globally, the United Nations (UN) began keeping global data for average life expectancy around the world from 1960. The marvels of better nutrition, public health initiatives, access to treatment and modern medicine, in general, have led to the present generation of humans enjoying longer, better lives than ever before. Life expectancy has grown considerably in the last few decades, not just globally but also in India.
Along with the availability and accessibility of nutrition and health facilities, it is the ability to avail of a better way of life that has improved the length and quality of life for average Indians. Considering that human resource is one of the most important assets of any growing economy, the rising life expectancy of Indians bodes well for the overall growth and development of the country.
In this article, we will look at what average life expectancy means and how an average human lifespan has changed over the years.
What is Average Life Expectancy?
Calculated as a statistical average, average life expectancy denotes the number of years an average individual is expected to live. It is the average age, calculated for a group of people, up to which a person of the group is likely to live.
The average life expectancy around the world, including India, is based on varied variables, such as lifestyle, diet, nutrition, sanitation, living conditions, hygiene, affordable and accessible medical facilities, morbidity data, etc. A higher average human lifespan for a region is a good sign. It means that the living conditions and health facilities allow people to lead a longer life, which in turn benefits the country with a healthy human resource.
Let us have a look at how an average Indian’s life expectancy has changed over the years.
Rising Trend of Average Life Expectancy in India
Let us look at the following table@ that shows the increasing average life expectancy in India:
Year |
Average Life Expectancy at Birth (in Years) |
1960 |
41.13 |
1970 |
47.41 |
1980 |
53.47 |
1990 |
57.66 |
2000 |
62.28 |
2010 |
66.43 |
2020 |
69.73 |
@Source:
- India Life Expectancy 1950-2022 | MacroTrends
Life expectancy is essentially a health index. It is a clear result of a wide variety of factors getting better in an individual’s life. Let us look at some top factors that led to this rise in life expectancy in India.
Top Factors That Increase Life Expectancy in India
- Access and Availability of Health Facilities: The number of public health centres as well as private health facilities is steadily increasing in India. The level of access to better health services has a direct impact on the overall well-being and life expectancy of an individual.
People can get quality treatment against some common as well as life-threatening diseases and mothers can access good healthcare during pregnancy, leading to an improved life expectancy.
While India is still lagging in terms of global rankings and standards, on an individual level, we have shown decent growth in health access.
- Nutrition and Immunisation: Recent years have seen a considerable increase in the number of nutritional supplements, vaccines, immunisation programmes, etc., that help an individual fight a wide variety of deficiencies and diseases.
This was clearly evident in the recent coronavirus pandemic, when experts across the world, including India, rallied to find a vaccine within a year. Companies came out with supplements to improve immunity and help your fight against the virus.
This shows the improvement in the medical facilities that help the average population fight major health conditions and improve their lifespan.
- Prevention and Treatment of Diseases: Taking the example of the pandemic again, we saw how the medical fraternity worked day in and day out to find the correct course of treatment, medicines, isolation procedures, etc. for a virus that wreaked global havoc within a few months. The advancement in the field of medicine made this possible.
Similarly, this development has also made the prevention and cure of a wide range of life-threatening illnesses possible. In recent times, we are hearing hopeful news about a possible cure for HIV-AIDS, which was traditionally thought to be an incurable condition.
Thus, the wonders of modern medicine improve the survival rate, thereby increasing the average life expectancy.
- Insurance Coverage: Traditionally, the penetration of life insurance has been low in India. The lack of access to information was one of the primary factors for this. However, in recent years, we have seen a rising demand for insurance, especially health insurance and life insurance plans. The havoc created by the recent coronavirus pandemic also made people realise the importance of insurance.
Health insurance helps you tide through the rising health expenditure in India and avail of the best possible treatment. This improves your overall health and survival rate through major illnesses and thus, improves your lifespan.
A life policy is one of the important parts of your overall financial plan. Life covers with maturity benefits provide regular payouts and bonuses2 that help you improve your overall standard of living. Further, in case of the death of the primary wage earner, the family can manage the financial aspects through the life insurance payout, thereby allowing a better life. The surviving family members have enough financial support to access good health facilities and lead a healthy, well-provided life.
Thus, access to good insurance policies improves the overall well-being and life expectancy of individuals.
However, there are still a few points of concern that impact the overall health and general well-being of the average Indian. Let us look at a few of them.
Factors that are Negatively Impacting the Life Expectancy of Indians
Recently we have seen a significant shift in the lifestyle in India. A rise in sedentary lifestyle, increased consumption of unhealthy junk food, higher intake of alcohol and smoking, deteriorating air quality, worse pollution, etc., have led to a lot of health issues among the common Indians, affecting their lifespan. The most common forms of health issues that arise from this are -
- Non-Communicable Diseases - diabetes, obesity-related issues, heart issues (heart attacks, blockages), pulmonary issues (respiratory failure, tuberculosis, lung cancer), multiple types of cancers, mental health issues (anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s, Schizophrenia, early-onset dementia)
- Chronic Illnesses - Asthma, hypertension, diabetes, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Stay Secure with Insurance
Despite the improved quality of life, we saw how the changing lifestyle and consumption habits can lead to deteriorating health. This can directly impact the life expectancy of an individual.
While we can have some control over factors such as eating healthy, limiting consumption of alcohol, not smoking, we cannot control other factors like rising pollution, stressful work environments and so on. Therefore, it is imperative to secure yourself and your family against any eventualities.
Life insurance allows you to safeguard your family’s financial well-being in your absence. Tata AIA Life Insurance offers a wide range of life insurance plans that help you secure your dreams and take care of your family’s financial future. You can choose from:
Get in touch with our insurance experts today to find the best plan for your needs and effectively safeguard yourself and your loved ones.
L&C/Advt/2022/Oct/2624
