Book Overview

Burden of Ageing The ageing of the world′s population is an indicator of improving global health. The world′s population of people 60 years of age and older has doubled since 1980. Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world′s population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22% and is forecast to reach 2 billion by 2050 from 605 million. The number of people aged 80 years or older, for example, will have almost quadrupled to 395 million between 2000 and 2050. There is no historical precedent for a majority of middle–aged and older adults having living parents, as is already the case todays. It took more than 100 years for the share of France′s population aged 65 or older to double from 7 to 14%. In contrast, it will take countries like Brazil and China less than 25 years to reach the same growth. The world will have more people who live to see their 80s or 90s than ever before. Moody′s report warns that countries around the world will see their economies suffer because of a rapidly ageing population.