An Aging World: 2008

Appointed by: Coleman, Catherine ProCOR

Within the next 30 years, the number of people worldwide who are over age 65 years will double, according to a new report, "An Aging World: 2008."

Currently there are 506 million people over age 65; by 2040 there will be an estimated 1.3 billion, representing 14% of the world population. Within 10 years, for the first time in human history, the number of people in the world aged 65 years and older will exceed that of children under five. The implications for chronic diseases in developing countries are enormous.

The most rapid increases in the older population are in the developing world, where the current rate of growth of the older population is more than double that in developed countries, and is also double that of the total world population. As of 2008, 62% of people aged 65 and older lived in developing countries; by 2040, 76% of the projected world total of people aged 65 and over will live in developing countries. The oldest old, people aged 80 and older, are the fastest growing portion of the total population in many countries. Globally, the oldest old population is projected to increase 233% between 2008 and 2040, compared with 160% for the population aged 65 and over and 33% for the total population of all ages./.../