March 06, 2026
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Americans of all ages say they want to live long, quality lives. The surest path to achieving this is by exercising regularly, eating healthy, not smoking and following other lifestyle guidelines.
Longevity has become a defining cultural and economic conversation – and for good reasons. Baby boomers and Generation X, Americans roughly 45 to 79 years old, account for about 40% of the U.S. population. The size and influence of this group alone is enough to shape economic priorities, cultural norms and public policy.
But the story doesn't stop there.
Interest in longevity is accelerating among the next two generations as well. Millennials (ages 30 to 45) and Generation Z (ages 14 to 29) make up another 40% of the country. A survey of 400 U.S. adults who had purchased dietary supplements in the past year found that while older Americans are most interesting in healthy aging, 48% of millennials and 33% of Gen Z respondents already are taking steps to age better.
McKinsey & Company's research echoes this trend, finding that roughly 30% of millennials and Gen Zers say they are prioritizing wellness "a lot more" than they did the year before. Overall, McKinsey found that 84% of U.S. consumers cite wellness as a "top" or "important" priority. With such a strong expression of interest in wellness and longer lives, you might assume that the collective health of Americans is good and robust longevity is the norm.
Unfortunately, that's not the case.
Any serious discussion of longevity eventually comes down to quality of life. Living longer matters, but how well we live during those added years matters more.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the United States has a widening gap between lifespan and "healthspan," the number of years we live free from disease or disability. At more than 12 years, the U.S. now has the largest gap in the world, compared to a global average of 9.6 years. Even more concerning, that gap has grown steadily over time.
Between 2000 and 2019, life expectancy in the U.S. increased modestly for men and women. But when those additional years are adjusted for health, the gains nearly disappear — especially for men. For them, just a fraction of a year of good health is added.
So what's driving this disconnect? Researchers point to several factors: medical advances that allow people to live longer with chronic disease; the growing prevalence of age-related conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease; lifestyle challenges like physical inactivity, poor diet and social isolation; a health care system that emphasizes treatment over prevention; and broader social and environmental issues, including housing, nutrition and community safety.
When Americans are asked to weigh longevity against quality of life, the answer is clear. In a national poll of 2,200 adults conducted by Medtronic and Morning Consult, 66% said they would prefer a shorter, healthier life over a longer life marked by illness. Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that longevity should be defined not simply by years lived, but by years lived well — free from significant health problems.
At the same time, optimism remains high. Three-quarters of those surveyed said they are counting on advances in technology to help them live longer, healthier lives. It is interesting that this hope is found in external factors, like technology, and not strategies within our control.
Harvard Medical School offers a straightforward answer: lifestyle matters. While genetics account for roughly 25% of the variation in how long we live, the remaining 75% is largely shaped by how we care for our bodies and minds. Harvard's guidance is familiar but powerful — eat well, stay physically active, don't smoke, limit alcohol consumption, sleep enough, stay hydrated, maintain social connections and cultivate optimism.
Research consistently shows that a positive outlook is associated with longer life. The National Institute on Aging reinforces this message, emphasizing that while we can't control our genes, we do have influence over our daily habits. Even modest increases in physical activity — such as adding more steps each day — can meaningfully reduce the risk of premature death. Regular preventive care, including annual checkups, also plays a critical role.
Beyond physical health, psychological and social factors matter more than many people realize. Mindset, emotional resilience and social environment all influence how we age. Studies show that how we perceive our own aging can significantly affect physical health and longevity. People who feel older than their chronological age tend to experience lower self-esteem, less optimism, and greater stress — factors linked to accelerated biological aging. Those who maintain a more youthful self-perception, on the other hand, live an average of more than seven years longer.
Stanford psychologist Laura Carstensen, co-founder of the university's Center on Longevity, argues that appreciating longevity has never been more important. Her research shows that as people age, they tend to focus more on positive experiences and less on negative ones. Emotionally, life often improves, especially when people view the future with purpose and possibility.
But Carstensen also offers a warning. Without rethinking how we approach health, education, work, retirement and financial planning, longer lives could create real strain on individuals and institutions alike. Research and technology are essential, but they must be paired with strategies that keep people healthy, engaged and productive for decades longer than previous generations ever imagined.
The evidence is clear: longevity matters to Americans of all ages. But more years alone aren't enough. Without health and vitality, many would gladly trade time for quality.
The good news is that the pathway to a longer, healthier life is increasingly well defined — physically, mentally and emotionally. It doesn't rely solely on future medical breakthroughs or new technologies. It depends, in large part, on choices we can make today.
Whether you're just beginning to think about aging or already well along the continuum, it's never too late to adopt a mindset and lifestyle that supports both longevity and healthspan. The goal isn't merely to live longer — it's to live better.
With the growing interest in longevity and the many dimensions of healthy aging within its umbrella, I'll continue this conversation in my next column by exploring an important topic that's missing from today's longevity dialogue.
Louis Bezich, chief of staff to the co-CEOs at Cooper University Health Care, is author of Saving Men From Themselves: 20 Proven Tactics with a New Approach to Healthy Living for Men Over 50," and "Crack The Code: 10 Proven Secrets that Motivate Healthy Behavior and Inspire Fulfillment in Men Over 50." Read more from Louis on his website.
