Old-age home
Old-age homeFlash 90

Israelis already have among the longest lifespans of any nation and that lifespan is set to get even longer, the Central Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday.

If past trends hold in the future, Israeli men could average 89 years of age in their lifespans forty years from now, while Israeli women will live on average until age 95.

Those numbers did not take into account future medical breakthroughs, but were based solely on the incremental increase in lifespans in Israel since the 1970s, the CBS said.

Israel is already close to the top of OECD rankings for lifespan and quality of life.

In 2014, Israeli men lived an average of 80.3 years - the third highest among OECD countries (after Iceland and Switzerland), and 2.5 years higher than the OECD average. Among women, the average lifespan in Israel is 84.1 years, eleventh in the 35 member OECD.

In 1975, the lifespan of Israeli women was 73.9 years, while it was 70.4 for men - meaning that over the space of forty years, lifespan had lengthened by some 15 years.

The reason for that, the CBS said, was due to medical advances and improved lifestyle choices, especially the major efforts society has put into persuading people to quit smoking. If those trends continue, Israelis can expect to lengthen their lives by another 15 years within four decades, the CBS said.

The methodology for that extrapolation is based on sound scientific theories that are well accepted among demographers, the CBS said.

However, it added, some demographers dissented, saying it was impossible to predict progress in medical technology that would be an important factor in the further extension of lifespan.