For many years, Switzerland consistently ranks among the top three countries with the longest life expectancy. Next to it in this ranking are Japan and Iceland. According to the OECD, the life expectancy of a boy born in Switzerland in 2021 is 81.9 years. The current life expectancy for women in Switzerland is 85.6 years; for men, it is 81.6 years.
In recent years, the number of centenarians has increased significantly in Switzerland. In 1990, there were 377 centenarians in the country, according to the daily newspaper Le Matin Dimanche. In 2000 the number reached a staggering 787. Today there are 1888 Swiss centenarians.
“Demographers estimate that one in two children born in Switzerland after 2000 will live to be 100 years old,” – Daniela Jopp, professor of Swiss longevity research at the University of Lausanne, told Le Matin Dimanche.
Switzerland: one of the best countries to live in
Switzerland is consistently ranked among the best places in the world to live. In 2021, The OECD Better Life Index showed that the Swiss Confederation occupies a leading position in such indicators:
- level of well-being;
- employment of the population;
- income and wealth;
- state of health;
- social connections;
- environmental quality;
- education;
- good balance between work and personal life;
- personal safety.
Besides, a Swiss passport is considered one of the most powerful in the world.
Most people in Switzerland work (80%) and get a good salary. The Swiss live an average of 84 years, four years longer than the OECD average.
But above all, the Swiss are generally content with their lives. On a scale from zero to 10, citizens rated life in Switzerland at 7.5. The OECD average is 6.5. Most centenarians have been recorded in the cantons of Basel, Jura, and Ticino. On average, in 2021, there were 18 people aged over 100 for every 100,000 Swiss. That is an optimistic indicator.
Swiss longevity secrets
The key factors that have influenced the increase in life expectancy in Switzerland are primarily government investments in the healthcare system, as well as changes in lifestyle, higher incomes, and better education. In addition, several other factors contribute to the average life expectancy increasing.
Healthcare system
Every year, the Swiss government spends an average of 9% of GDP on healthcare. The availability of compulsory health insurance is a prerequisite for everyone in Switzerland.
On average, a 10% increase in state medical expenses per person leads to a life extension of 3.5 months. More than 95% of the population can access all necessary medical services. At the same time, the number of medical workers in Switzerland is steadily growing every year, while the number of deaths, for example, from cardiovascular diseases, is decreasing. People are more likely to survive cancer and go to hospital sooner if necessary.
Of course, the high life expectancy in Switzerland cannot be explained solely by large financial injections into the healthcare system. After all, for example, in the same Japan, people also live very long, but at the same time, healthcare costs are less than 50% of those in the United States. Moreover, the growth rate in healthcare spending in OECD countries is gradually declining. Until 2009, the average annual expenditure increase was 3.6%, and by the end of the study period, it decreased to 1.4%.
Healthy lifestyle and social security
More and more Swiss are giving up bad habits (alcohol and smoking) in favor of a healthy lifestyle. When the quality of life improves by at least 10%, life expectancy increases by 2.6 months.
We must add that people in Switzerland feel socially protected because the corresponding governmental programs will not let a person, figuratively speaking, die of hunger. If someone loses their job, the state provides the social support necessary for the person to avoid financial hardship. Therefore, the Swiss generally have no fear of the future, which also reduces stress levels. And stressful situations, as we all know, contribute to the development of many diseases that cause life expectancy to drop.
More information on the topic: Comfortable life in Switzerland: How much does it cost?
Good ecological situation
With its scenic nature, air quality, and the best place to relax, Switzerland is rightfully called the European pearl. Tourists who enjoy skiing and pristine nature will feel comfortable here.
We must note that the famous Alps Mountain Range covers about two-thirds of the country. They are a real hallmark of Switzerland. Almost a quarter of the Swiss land is allocated for nature reserves zealously protected from destruction at the hands of humans. Forests in Switzerland cover one-third of the territory. Not surprisingly, the air here is uniquely clean and healthy. The country has more than 6% of freshwater reserves on the continent.
Most importantly, Switzerland has committed itself to protecting its natural environment and combating climate change. Here, greenhouse gas emissions per capita are lower than in many other OECD countries.
Switzerland has a robust recycling system. It is committed to becoming climate neutral by 2050. Atmospheric PM2.5 (the smallest particle of an air pollutant small enough to enter human lungs and cause damage) is 10.1 micrograms per cubic meter, below the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter. In Switzerland, 96% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, which is higher than the average OECD level (84%).
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Level of education
Researchers have noted that well-educated people, on average, live more than eight years longer than those who did not get any education beyond secondary school. Education may be responsible for a 10% difference in mortality levels. The more aware a person is of the dangers of smoking, alcohol, and fast food, the more they try to avoid these harmful life factors. Educated people usually do not simply have more information but also apply it in practice. That is, they are more likely to give up bad habits in favor of a healthy lifestyle, go in for sports more, and try to live in a more environmentally friendly environment than people with education limited to secondary school.
At the same time, educated people are better aware of the available ways to receive advanced medical care, results of modern medical research, and the newest techniques – and more actively seek to use various healthcare approaches and treatment opportunities. In addition, they are less likely to experience fluctuations in employment and, accordingly, less likely to experience a reduction in income. And even if temporary difficulties arise, they rarely give up, as they maintain an optimistic attitude towards life and strive to return to the previous level.
According to Stefan Kullati of the University of Friborg, there is a correlation between educational attainment and life expectancy. “The difference in life expectancy between university graduates and those with basic education is significant, especially for men,” – the researcher told the Swissinfo news channel.
“In 1994, the difference between them was 7.6 years. Today, university graduates live 8.8 years longer in good health,” – Kullat added.
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Why does life expectancy increase with age?
The Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) calculates life expectancy from the year a person is born. This approach makes it possible to determine the average life expectancy of a Swiss who has lived for 80 years (year of birth 1943). So, according to FSO calculations, a Swiss man born in 1943 can live another 9.3 years, and a woman born in the same year – another 11.3 years.
That means a Swiss person who is 80 can expect to live for about ten more years on average. Provided, of course, that there are no emergencies or extreme circumstances. Experts in Switzerland note that after a sharp spike in life expectancy at the end of the 20th century, today the indicator is slowing down dramatically.
It is not impossible that scientists will notice an increase in life expectancy in the following years. In that case, it will probably come from further medical discoveries, especially in cancer therapy and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
That said, we should not forget that the increase in life expectancy in developed countries is held back by obesity and unequal access to health care. Longevity is also affected by disappointing statistics of violent crime and drug addiction, especially in the United States.
Longevity champions – Japan and Switzerland – are characterized by excellent quality and accessibility of healthcare and low levels of obesity among the population.
Growth in life expectancy usually occurs in waves following major medical discoveries or large social trends, such as bans on smoking. In the 20th century, pharmaceutical innovations that reduced blood pressure and cholesterol led to a dramatic increase in the number of centenarians. The average global life expectancy for a person born in 2020 is over 70 years, up from 55 years in the late 1950s.
Since 2010, however, the negative factors associated with obesity-related illnesses, the growing impact of Alzheimer’s disease, and unequal access to health care have offset increases in the age limit in many parts of the world. As a result, life expectancy in developed countries has remained at approximately the same levels as in the previous decades.
Life expectancy is dropping in the USA
The United States differs negatively from many developed countries in terms of life expectancy. As of 2019, only the affluent 10% of the United States population has a life expectancy at birth comparable to the OECD average of about 80 years for men and 84 years for women.
If Americans are born into low-income families (constituting 10% of the population), their life expectancy is only about 73 years. The US trend is related to unequal access to healthcare – a result of growing socioeconomic inequality. In addition, since an estimated 70% of the population is obese, diseases such as type II diabetes are becoming more common. Also, since 1999, the death rate from drug abuse has increased eight times in the United States, which could not but lower the indicators of life expectancy in the country.
Life expectancy in the UK
A decrease in life expectancy in the UK is due to a lack of medical discoveries.
Between 1968 and 2010, there were sharp increases in life expectancy by as much as 70%. It was associated with a reduction in mortality from cardiovascular disease. As a result, the British began to live not up to 71 years, as before, but up to 80 years. But from 2010 to the present, only a year has been added to this figure, which does not inspire optimism. Such low rates are associated with a lack of significant medical advances in treatment of cancer, dementia, and respiratory diseases.
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Japan, the champion in longevity
On par with Switzerland, Japan has achieved some of the highest life expectancy at birth among advanced economies. Today, the Japanese live an average of 84 years. For comparison: in 1960, the average life expectancy in Japan was 70 years. According to statistics, in Japan, there are 35 people over 100 years old per 100,000 inhabitants. Most of the centenarians live on the island of Okinawa. Residents of the country very rarely get sick, and for treatment, they often use traditional medicine rather than pharmacological preparations.
Between 1980 and 2012, Japan reduced stroke deaths by 80% thanks to the government program urging people to reduce their salt intake.
Average life expectancy in Europe in 2023
| Country | Life expectancy (years) |
| Austria | 82.572 |
| Belgium | 82.456 |
| Switzerland | 84.379 |
| Germany | 82.184 |
| Denmark | 82.033 |
| Spain | 84.053 |
| Estonia | 79.314 |
| France | 83.352 |
| Great Britain | 82.308 |
| Greece | 81.995 |
| Hungary | 77.095 |
| Iceland | 84.135 |
| Luxembourg | 82.745 |
| Netherlands | 82.56 |
| Poland | 78.596 |
| Romania | 75.138 |
| Slovakia | 78.355 |
| Slovenia | 82.309 |
| Sweden | 83.553 |
Several important factors affect life expectancy in any country:
- gender;
- heredity;
- the level of education;
- availability of medical services;
- quality of food;
- income level;
- level of physical activity;
- lifestyle;
- social environment;
- level of consumption.
High life expectancy in Switzerland demonstrates the success, economic efficiency, and advanced development of the healthcare system in the country. High places in the ranking of centenarians once again prove that Switzerland is one of the most favorable countries for living.
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