Life expectancy is the number of years a person can expect to live based on their current age and demographic factors. For someone who is 80 years old today, their life expectancy depends on several factors including gender and health status.
Life Expectancy for 80 Year Olds in the United States
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average life expectancy for an 80 year old in the United States is:
- Male: 8.8 years (88.8 years)
- Female: 10.1 years (90.1 years)
So on average, men who are 80 years old today can expect to live to around 89 years old, while 80 year old women have a life expectancy of 90 years old. However, these are just averages – many individuals continue living well into their 90s or even 100s.
Life Expectancy Trends for 80 Year Olds
Life expectancies at all ages have been slowly increasing over the past century thanks to improvements in medical care, nutrition, sanitation and living standards. For 80 year olds in the US:
- In 1950, life expectancy was an additional 7.8 years for men and 9.1 years for women.
- In 2000, life expectancy increased to 9.1 years for men and 10.9 years for women.
- By 2018, life expectancy was up to 8.8 years for men and 10.1 years for women (latest data).
So over the last 70 years, the life expectancy of 80 year olds has increased by about 1 year for men and 1.2 years for women. However the pace of improvement has slowed in recent years.
Factors Affecting Life Expectancy at 80 Years Old
While gender is one factor affecting life span, there are several other demographic variables that influence how long someone at 80 years is expected to live.
- Health Status – People with chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and lung disease have shorter life expectancies than healthier 80 year olds.
- Smoking History – Smoking can significantly reduce life expectancy, with male smokers at 80 projected to live 3.6 fewer years than non-smokers.
- Obesity – Obese 80 year olds have a life expectancy 1.5 years shorter than normal weight people.
- Socioeconomic Status – Wealthier individuals at 80 tend to live longer than those with lower incomes.
- Gender – As seen in the averages, women at 80 live over 1 year longer than men on average.
- Race – At 80 years old, African Americans have the lowest life expectancy (87.1 years), compared to Whites (89.8 years) and Hispanics (91.3 years).
Life Expectancy for 80 Year Olds by Country
Life expectancies can vary significantly across different countries. Here is a comparison of life expectancy at 80 years old in select nations, according to 2021 WHO data:
| Country | Life Expectancy at 80 (Years) |
|---|---|
| Japan | 12.19 |
| Switzerland | 10.10 |
| Italy | 9.83 |
| France | 9.43 |
| Canada | 9.32 |
| Norway | 9.30 |
| Australia | 9.30 |
| Spain | 8.81 |
| United States | 8.60 |
| South Korea | 7.14 |
Japan has the highest life expectancy at 80 years old at over 12 additional years. Switzerland, Italy, France, Canada, Norway and Australia all have life expectancies between 9 and 10 years for 80 year olds. The US ranks lower than these nations at just 8.6 years, while South Korea has the lowest life expectancy at around 7 years.
Reasons for Cross-Country Differences
Why do some countries have higher life expectancies at 80 years old? Here are a few key factors:
- Healthcare systems – Access to quality healthcare, doctors and hospitals improves outcomes.
- Lifestyle factors – Diet, smoking rates and obesity levels differ across countries.
- Environment – Air pollution for example impacts health and longevity.
- Genetics – Populations may have genetic differences affecting life span.
- Income inequality – Countries with lower inequality have higher life expectancy.
Life Expectancy for 80 Year Olds by Health Status
While demographic factors impact life span, an 80 year old’s health status is one of the most important determinants of additional life expectancy.
Impact of Chronic Illness
Research has quantified how various chronic conditions reduce life expectancy at 80 years old:
| Chronic Illness | Life Expectancy Reduction at 80 (Years) |
|---|---|
| Heart failure | 2.12 |
| COPD | 1.79 |
| Stroke | 1.59 |
| Diabetes | 1.56 |
| Cognitive impairment | 1.49 |
| Cancer | 1.33 |
| High blood pressure | 0.95 |
| Arthritis | 0.69 |
As shown, chronic conditions like heart failure, COPD, stroke, diabetes and dementia have the greatest impact by reducing life expectancy at 80 by 1.5 to 2 years. Cancer and high blood pressure also cut about 1 year off life expectancy. Arthritis has a smaller but still significant impact on longevity.
Impact of Overall Health Rating
Research has also looked at how self-reported health status correlates with mortality risk. This table summarizes the impact on life expectancy:
| Health Rating | Life Expectancy Reduction at 80 (Years) |
|---|---|
| Excellent | 0 |
| Very Good | 0.5 |
| Good | 1.23 |
| Fair | 2.53 |
| Poor | 4.17 |
80 year olds who rate their health as excellent or very good have little reduction in life expectancy compared to population averages. However, those rating their health as good, fair or poor had progressively shorter life expectancies by as much as 4 years.
Factors for Living Past 90 Years Old
While average life expectancy is under 90 years for current 80 year olds, many individuals beat the odds and celebrate their 90th birthdays or beyond. What factors contribute to exceptional longevity past 90 years of age?
Lifestyle Behaviors
Research on American nonagenarians (those over 90) has revealed certain lifestyle behaviors associated with longer survival:
- Being lean – lower rates of obesity
- Engaging in regular physical activity
- Following a healthy diet higher in fruits, vegetables and whole grains
- Drinking alcohol in moderation
- Avoiding smoking
- Staying cognitively and socially active
So basic healthy lifestyle behaviors clearly impact reaching the 90 year milestone.
Genetics
Genetics play a role, with first-degree relatives of nonagenarians having favorable odds of living past 90. Centenarians (those over 100) are more likely to have genetic variants promoting longevity.
Gender
As noted earlier, women have higher odds than men of living into their 90s, likely due to a mix of biological, genetic and lifestyle factors.
Education and Income
Those with higher educational attainment and socioeconomic status are also more likely to celebrate 90th birthdays, suggesting access to resources over a lifetime improves longevity.
Personality Traits
Certain personality traits like optimism, self-sufficiency and extraversion have been associated with living past 90 years old.
Environment
Environmental influences like climate and air pollution also affect longevity into the 90s. For example, cooler high-altitude regions and low-humidity environments are linked to exceptional longevity.
Conclusion
Life expectancy at 80 years old today averages around 9 additional years for women and 8 years for men in the US. However, many personal health and lifestyle factors can significantly impact an individual’s longevity. Maintaining physical health, staying lean, following sound nutrition and being socially engaged are key behaviors linked to living into your 90s and beyond. Though genetics play some role, simple healthy lifestyle choices allow many people to surpass the average life expectancy projected for their age.
