Читать книгу Health Psychology - Michael Murray - Страница 60

Life expectancy has been increasing almost everywhere due to dramatic decreases in infant and adult mortality from infectious diseases. In Britain, life expectancy is currently around 75 years for men and 80 years for women. Life expectancy is increasing by three months every year in developed countries. If life expectancy increases to 85, 90 or even 100, social, health and pension systems will be difficult to maintain in their present form.

The age profile of any population is displayed as a ‘population pyramid’, in which numbers in each age group are plotted on a vertical axis. In the UK, the number of people older than 85 is increasing dramatically. Inflows and outflows suggest that by 2050 the UK will be the largest country in Europe. In 2050, like many other places, the country will be both crowded and warm.

China has the fastest-changing demographic profile in the world, with the largest population of senior citizens. Currently, China has more than 130 million senior citizens aged above 60, more than 10% of the total population. By the middle of this century senior citizens in China will exceed 400 million, one-quarter of the total population. There will be a significant shift in the demographic profile of the Chinese population between 2010 and a projection for 2050. The population pyramids show the ageing process is changing China’s pyramid, with much larger segments in the higher age brackets.