Most Americans Want to Live Longer, But Few Know How, New Longevity Study Shows

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Oct 19, 2022, 08:10 ET

MDVIP/Ipsos Survey Finds Over Half of Americans Plan More for Financial Retirement Than Future Health

BOCA RATON, Fla., Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when U.S. life expectancy has fallen for the second year in a row, a new study from MDVIP and Ipsos finds that most Americans have high hopes when it comes to their own longevity. An encouraging 87% reported they want to take steps to live healthier for longer, and over half want to live to the age of 100 or older (53%). However, 3 out of 4 people surveyed (74%) failed a basic 20-question Longevity IQ quiz, indicating that most aren't knowledgeable enough about the lifestyle factors that influence aging and longevity.

MDVIP’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrea Klemes plays a game of 'This or That' with longevity pioneer and best-selling author Dr. Michael Roizen, who reveals his choices for promoting longevity.

Longevity has traditionally been defined by how long we live, known as life span. MDVIP’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrea Klemes sits down with leading longevity expert and best-selling author Dr. Michael Roizen to discuss the importance of 'health span' and his tips for living younger for longer.

Despite Americans' desire to age well, the survey also reveals how managing their health is taking a back seat to other priorities – 54% admit they plan more for their financial future than for their future health. This is especially true among men (60% vs. 47% of women) and adults ages 18-44 (64% vs. 44% of adults ages 45+).

"Study after study has shown that our lifetime of decisions about what we eat, whether we exercise or whether we're managing stress have a considerable impact on how well we age," said Dr. Andrea Klemes, chief medical officer at MDVIP. "Just like you start saving for retirement in your 20s, you need to start investing early in your health. Take a 'portfolio' approach to your longevity and make sure you have a primary care doctor who will help you build the right mix of healthy habits based on your medical history, risk factors and goals. It's the best investment you can make in yourself."

Watch MDVIP's Dr. Andrea Klemes play 'This or That' with longevity expert Dr. Michael Roizen.

Nearly 3 in 4 Americans say they have relied on their primary care physician to help track or manage their health (72%). Yet, fewer than half have discussed with their doctor key factors that influence longevity, including aerobic exercise (42%), strength training (27%), sleep (45%), stress (46%), depression (33%) and drinking habits (32%). Only 30% of people have discussed aging/living longer.

Other notable findings from the survey:

Two-thirds of Americans say they want to live longer than their parents or other family members (67%). However, only 55% are confident that they will live longer, and 66% are concerned about inheriting the same health issues of their parents/family. Over half say they're more willing to try new or experimental medical treatments than their parents are/were (54%).
Over 2 in 5 Americans say they feel like they've aged faster during the pandemic (45%), especially women (49%) and adults ages 18-44 (53%). Compared to their life before the pandemic, nearly a third of Americans say they now worry more about their mental health (31%) and their physical health (31%).

"While most people say they want to live to 100 or beyond, they aren't considering that the last 20 of those years may not be so graceful," added Dr. Klemes. "The conversation around aging has largely focused on life span, but the more important measure is our 'health span,' or how many years we live well without serious disease. The good news is that if you're taking steps to live healthier now, you're not only increasing your chances of living longer, you're more likely to enjoy those extra years doing the things you love."

Watch MDVIP's Dr. Andrea Klemes and longevity expert Dr. Michael Roizen discuss tips on how to extend your health span.

To take the MDVIP Longevity IQ quiz and learn more about aging well, visit https://www.mdvip.com/LongevityIQ.

About the MDVIP Longevity Survey
These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted September 6-7, 2022, on behalf of MDVIP. For this survey, a sample of 1,003 adults ages 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii were interviewed online in English. The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points for all respondents. For more information about Ipsos, please visit https://www.ipsos.com/en-us.

About MDVIP
MDVIP leads the market in membership-based healthcare that goes far beyond concierge medicine services with a national network of more than 1,100 primary care physicians serving over 377,000 patients. Published research shows that the MDVIP model identifies more patients at risk for cardiovascular disease, delivers more preventive health services and saves the healthcare system hundreds of millions of dollars through reduced hospitalizations and readmissions. In response to growing consumer demand for a more personalized healthcare experience, hospital systems are incorporating the MDVIP model into their primary care offering. MDVIP also partners with employers to offer an executive health program as a benefit to their employees. The company has been certified by Great Place to Work since 2018 and is recognized by Fortune as one of the 2022 Best Workplaces in Healthcare. For more information, visit www.mdvip.com. Follow MDVIP on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.