Causes and Effects of Increased Life Span

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Do you ever wanted to know how long will you live? There are so much wonderful things in this world for us to enjoy. Nearly everyone wants to live longer, if they were to choose. Looking back to the past, our ancestors lived relatively shorter lives -- with only a few people living beyond the age of 40. However, since a century ago, human’s life span has increased greatly. The mortality rates among those over 80 years have decreased by about 1.5% per year since 1960s (Vaupel, 2010). At the same time, the maximum life span, the largest number of years a mankind has lived, is expected to be increased over years. The truth is, living longer is not a pipe dream anymore. Nevertheless, a long healthy life is not a coincidence. The lengthening of mankind’s life expectancy could be brought about by a host of reasons and there are several far-reaching consequences. First and foremost, the drawback of living longer is the increase in the expenditure in getting a better nutrition. The increased amount spent for health care has burdened the elderly. People who live longer have higher potential in developing health problems that older adults would face. The situation turns even worse when they have to shoulder healthcare costs coupled with the increasing living costs. On the other hand, one of the chief causes of the increased life span is a better food intake. People nowadays are more concerned about their health. There’re a variety of foods which can boost our body systems and maintain their functions. Having a better nutrition promotes a good physical health which would in turn longer one’s life span. It can prevent or delay the onset of age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, Al... ... middle of paper ... ...healthy years to your life, The Sun, 8 August pg29. Professor Haakon Meyer, 2009. Non-Smokers Live Longer And Have Healthier Hearts, 30-Year Study [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 September 2011] EMIS, 2011. Smoking – The Facts [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 September 2011] Associated Newspapers Ltd, 2011. Exercise plan: Just 15 minutes of exercise a day 'increases your life expectancy by THREE YEARS' [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 September 2011] Jack Challem, 2009. Turn Back the Clock! [online] Available at: < http://www.betternutrition.com/anti-aging-supplements/columns/askthenaturopath/778> [Accessed 17 September 2011]

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