Devi Sridhar: living a long life isn't a solo endeavour

德维·斯里达尔:长寿并非孤立的努力

Babbage from The Economist

2025-08-20

35 分钟
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单集简介 ...

How long you live may be shaped less by your gym routine or diet plan than by the systems that surround you, from clean air and water to safe streets and accessible healthcare. In this episode, Devi Sridhar, a professor of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, argues that governments—not individuals—hold the greatest power to extend lives. She explains what people can learn from long-lived communities in Japan and Europe, how to curb the harms of ultra-processed food, the role of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, and how tackling inequality could help everyone live healthier into old age. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, speaks with Devi Sridhar, the author of “How Not to Die (Too Soon)”. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.
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  • Life's pretty good.

  • So why wouldn't you want it to last a bit longer?

  • We all want to live long, healthy lives.

  • And there's no shortage of information, advice and adverts on how to do just that.

  • With Vitality Life Insurance, it could last up to five years longer.

  • Get more active, get more life.

  • Eat good food.

  • That usually means five or more fruit or veg every day and lots of different colours too.

  • Go for that run or lift some weights.

  • Sleep at least seven or eight hours a day.

  • So come on you lot, let's all eat well, move more, live longer and make a change for life.

  • There's a lot to keep up with.

  • It can be empowering of course.

  • but it's also confusing and exhausting.

  • And despite all the knowledge we have today to help us optimize our health,

  • it seems that at a societal level, something isn't quite working.

  • In fact, life expectancy is stagnating or even declining in some parts of the world.

  • If you're feeling overwhelmed in your attempt to control your health, our guest today,

  • Devi Sridhar, wants you to know that you're not alone and that it's not your fault.

  • She's a professor of global public health at Edinburgh University and in a new book argues that we've all been sold a lie when it comes to taking charge of our health.