Synonyms
Definition
Longevity activism refers to public activities and advocacy directed toward the promotion of healthy longevity of the population, via advancement of biomedical science, promoting education and public health and science policy toward that purpose.
Overview
There is now an emerging international social advocacy movement dedicated to promotion of biomedical research and development to alleviate aging-related morbidity, extend healthy period of life, and improve healthy longevity for the elderly population. It is commonly referred to by the activists as the “longevity movement” or “longevity research and advocacy movement,” as well as “healthy life extension movement.” It is a “hybrid” between the aged rights advocacy, patient advocacy, and science advocacy, as it emphasizes the need to implement preventive medicine to improve health care for the elderly around the world via enhanced medical scientific research with a special focus on the mechanisms...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
References
Anisimov VN, Sidorenko AV (2018) It is necessary to establish an international agency for research on aging. Aging (Albany NY) 10(5):863–867. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101451
Bannister C, Holden SE, Jenkins-Jones S et al (2014) Can people with type 2 diabetes live longer than those without? A comparison of mortality in people initiated with metformin or sulphonylurea monotherapy and matched, non-diabetic controls. Diabetes Obes Metab 16:1165–1173. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.12354
de Grey AD, Ames BN, Andersen JK et al (2001) Time to talk SENS: critiquing the immutability of human aging. Ann N Y Acad Sci 959:452–462. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2002.tb02115.x
Donner Y, Fortney K, Calimport SR et al (2016) Great desire for extended life and health amongst the American public. Front Genet 6:353. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2015.00353
Dragojlovic N (2013) Canadians’ support for radical life extension resulting from advances in regenerative medicine. J Aging Stud 27(2):151–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2012.12.008
Fontana L, Kennedy BK, Longo VD et al (2014) Medical research: treat ageing. Nature 511(7510):405–407. https://doi.org/10.1038/511405a
Goldman DP, Cutler DM, Rowe JW et al (2013) Substantial health and economic returns from delayed aging may warrant a new focus for medical research. Health Aff 32(10):1698–1705. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0052
Hall SS (2015) A trial for the ages. Science 349:1275–1278. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.349.6254.1274
Jin K, Simpkins JW, Ji X et al (2015) The critical need to promote research of aging and aging-related diseases to improve health and longevity of the elderly population. Aging Dis 6:1–5. https://doi.org/10.14336/AD.2014.1210
Longevity for All (2018) Longevity day and longevity month. http://www.longevityforall.org/. Accessed 15 Feb 2019
Longevity International (2018) Longevity industry landscape overview. Longevity International, London. https://www.longevity.international/. Accessed 15 Feb 2019
López-Otín C, Blasco MA, Partridge L et al (2013) The hallmarks of aging. Cell 153:1194–1217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2013.05.039
Newman JC, Milman S, Hashmi SK et al (2016) Strategies and challenges in clinical trials targeting human aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 71:1424–1434. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glw149
Olshansky SJ, Perry D, Miller RA, Butler RN (2006) In pursuit of the longevity dividend: what should we be doing to prepare for the unprecedented aging of humanity? Scientist 20(3):28–36
Partridge B, Lucke J, Bartlett H, Hall W (2009) Ethical, social, and personal implications of extended human lifespan identified by members of the public. Rejuvenation Res 12:351–357. https://doi.org/10.1089/rej.2009.0907
Partridge B, Lucke J, Bartlett H, Hall W (2011) Public attitudes towards human life extension by intervening in ageing. J Aging Stud 25(2):73–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2010.08.012
Rae MJ, Butler RN, Campisi J et al (2010) The demographic and biomedical case for late-life interventions in aging. Sci Transl Med 2:40cm21. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.3000822
Smol’kin AA, Zhigareva PA, Makarova EA et al (2018) Attitudes towards aging prevention: results of a focus-group study. Adv Gerontol 8:71–78. https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079057018010125
Stambler I (2017a) Recognizing degenerative aging as a treatable medical condition: methodology and policy. Aging Dis 8:583–589. https://doi.org/10.14336/AD.2017.0130
Stambler I (2017b) Longevity promotion: multidisciplinary perspectives. Longevity history, Rishon Lezion. http://www.longevityhistory.com/. Accessed 15 Feb 2019
Stambler I, Jin K, Lederman S et al (2018) Aging health and R&D for healthy longevity must be included into the WHO work program. Aging Dis 9(2):331–333. https://doi.org/10.14336/AD.2017.1120
The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology (2018) Opening the door to treating ageing as a disease. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 6(8):587. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(18)30214-6
Underwood M (2014) What reassurances do the community need regarding life extension? Evidence from studies of community attitudes and an analysis of film portrayals. Rejuvenation Res 17:105–115. https://doi.org/10.1089/rej.2013.1479
Vetek (Seniority) – the Movement for Longevity and Quality of Life (2019). http://www.longevityisrael.org/. Accessed 15 Feb 2019
World Health Organization (2015) Global strategy and action plan on ageing and health (GSAP) – 2016–2020. World Health Organization, Geneva. http://www.who.int/ageing/global-strategy/en/. Accessed 15 Feb 2019
World Health Organization (2018) Thirteenth general programme of work, 2019–2023. World Health Organization, Geneva. https://www.who.int/about/what-we-do/gpw-thirteen-consultation/en/. Accessed 15 Feb 2019
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply
About this entry
Cite this entry
Stambler, I., Milova, E. (2019). Longevity Activism. In: Gu, D., Dupre, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_395-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_395-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-69892-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-69892-2
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences