By 2020, and for the first time in history, the number of people worldwide aged 60 and older will outnumber children younger than five years. However, while people are now living longer, they are not necessarily healthier than before, experts have warned.

According to doctors working with the World Health Organization (WHO), there are currently 841 million people worldwide who are aged 60 or older. However by 2050, this figure is expected to reach two billion.

The reason why people are living longer, particularly in high income countries, is mainly due to a reduction in deaths from heart disease and stroke. This is largely as a result of simple and cost-effective health strategies, such as reducing high blood pressure, reducing smoking levels and improving access to health services.

However according to the doctors, these extra years may not be healthy ones, as almost one in four of the overall global burden of death and illness is in people aged 60 and older. A lot of this burden is due to long-term health problems associated with diseases such as cancer, heart disease, musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis, respiratory diseases and mental health problems.

The doctors pointed out that these illnesses affect not only the patients, but their families, health services and the economy as a whole. And they are expected to increase significantly. For example, some 44 million people worldwide currently have dementia, but by 2050, this is expected to increase to 135 million.

According to Dr John Beard of the WHO, ‘deep and fundamental reforms of health and social care systems will be required' to deal with this issue.

The doctors said that more strategies are needed to help prevent and manage chronic diseases in older people and more healthcare staff need to be trained in the management of multiple chronic conditions.

"Collectively, we need to look beyond the costs commonly associated with ageing to think about the benefits that an older, healthier, happier, and more productive older population can bring to society as a whole," added Dr Somnath Chatterji, also of the WHO.

Details of their views are published in the journal, The Lancet.

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