Active and healthy aging. A social approach

Abstract

Aging is a multifactorial process defined as the progressive loss of function, accompanied by increased morbidity and decreased fertility with advancing age. The increase in life expectancy has been primarily driven by the prevention and reduction of infectious diseases, infant and perinatal mortality, and the development of health promotion programs and screening for the main risk factors of chronic non-communicable diseases (hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes mellitus). Added to this is the undeniable impact of women's integration into all spheres of society, fulfilling complex professional, executive, political, and social responsibilities, which has substantially influenced the reduction in the birth rate. The global aging of the human population is one of the main socioeconomic problems currently facing many developed and developing countries.