Longevity: Act before it’s too late if you want a healthy old age

A ‘future me’ problem

The disconnect between intention and action runs deep. Longevity feels abstract and distant: a “future me” problem. Most people genuinely believe they’ll make better choices later. The science is clear: the earlier we start, the greater the gains. Every year of delay shortens the runway.

Among young adults, the paradox comes into even sharper focus. They are the healthiest and the unhealthiest generation in history: counting their steps and meditating more than older adults – while doomscrolling late into the night, vaping, guzzling sugary drinks, and reporting burnout at record levels. The healthiest behaviors and the most harmful habits are not happening in separate groups – they’re happening within the same individuals. We strive for longevity, yet actively undermine it every day.

The challenge is clear: how can we turn longevity from a cultural conversation or social media aspiration into a lived reality – one supported by systems, environments, and choices that make healthy living easier for everyone?

At the heart of the longevity paradox lies a deeper behavioral issue: people confuse outcomes with means. Many of us focus on what we think we should do – eat better, exercise more – without a clear sense of why. The “why” is deeply personal. For some, it is dancing at a grandchild’s wedding, traveling into their 80s, or continuing a career that brings purpose and identity. We refer to these as “health ambitions” – a concept at the heart of our research.

Our research revealed that motivation lives in that “why”. When health becomes part of a story we care about, rather than a checklist of self-improvement tasks, behavior starts to change. However, the systems in place, from food environments to healthcare pathways, are not designed for proactive health. No one is taking care of you until you appoint yourself the CEO of your own health and well-being. This mindset shift is often what separates intention from action.

The five stages of longevity – and where engagement falls away

To better understand where people are on their longevity journey, we mapped the five stages of engagement defined in our Longevity Engagement Ladder – from those who rarely think about aging to those who fully organize their lives around it.

At one end are the Longevity Dismissers, who don’t consider longevity at all and tend to think of health only when problems arise. Next are the Longevity Curious, who understand its importance but haven’t yet turned that awareness into action. The middle of the spectrum is made up of the Proactive Experimenters – individuals who are motivated and open to change, trying new approaches but often becoming overwhelmed by conflicting information. The most engaged are the Personalized Optimizers and Holistic Pioneers, who have made longevity a guiding principle, making deliberate and sustained choices that support long-term health.

The steepest drop-off sits among the curious and the experimenters. They struggle to tell what’s credible from what’s merely trendy, and without trusted support, they often lose momentum. As our data shows, this group makes up roughly 30% of the population – highly motivated but stuck in an “infodemic” of health advice. Younger generations are especially concentrated here.

Podcasters, remarkably, have become top-ranked sources of health advice, ahead of doctors. That alone should be a wake-up call. The longevity market is booming, encompassing supplements, wearables, and personalized health apps, yet it remains fragmented and uneven in quality.

What’s missing isn’t more data, but more direction. AI can help – but only if it is trained on credible, evidence-based sources and used to guide, not manipulate. When healthy choices become the easy, default ones – embedded in workplaces, communities, and daily life – information overload gives way to informed action.

Platforms, brands, and healthcare providers that can translate reliable science into practical, personalized advice will become the trusted anchors in this noisy ecosystem.