Move over longevity: Healthspan is what we should be chasing

While Canadians are living longer than ever—reaching about eighty for men and eighty-four for women—there's a troubling gap few are discussing. Per The Conversation Canada, the years we expect to spend in good health have actually declined, with healthy life expectancy now sitting around sixty-seven years, down from a peak of seventy. That means many Canadians will face roughly two decades or more living with chronic illness, mobility loss, or cognitive decline. The real drivers of healthspan—living well, not just long—are exercise, sleep, healthy diet, social connection, and stable housing and income. The wellness industry generates one hundred forty-four billion dollars a year selling supplements and longevity protocols that have no evidence of extending healthspan. Canada also spends twelve dollars on treatment for every dollar on prevention, The Conversation Canada notes, a spending imbalance that perpetuates the problem. McMaster University's new McCall MacBain Kinesiology and Healthspan Institute, backed by a fifty-million-dollar donation, aims to shift that dynamic toward prevention. The institute's core argument: the best way to live longer is to live better first.

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