The 2026 report on Australia’s health shows our life expectancy remains one of the highest in the world but the last decade of life is marred by poorer health.

A new snapshot of the nation’s health, released on 9 July by the Australian Institute Health and Welfare, shows Australians are living longer than in previous decades.

Australia’s long-term life expectancy growth is one of the great successes of modern medicine, public health and improved living conditions. But the report also shows the average time spent in poor health has risen since 2003.

A previous report from the same institute found a man born in 2024 could expect to live 71.7 years in “full health”, despite a life expectancy of 81.6 years. A woman born in 2024 could expect to live in full health for an average of 73.8 years, despite an average life expectancy of 85.5 years.

This means Australians can expect to live around 87 per cent of their lives in full health. But what does the last decade or so look like when their health deteriorates?

Let’s look more closely at what researchers mean by “healthy life expectancy” and what is meant by “full health”.

Plenty of Australians in their 40s or 50s have high blood pressure, wear glasses, take cholesterol medication or manage arthritis. Many would still describe themselves as healthy.

The World Health Organization defines “healthy life expectancy” as the average number of years a person can expect to live in “full health”, after accounting for years lived in less than full health due to disease or injury.

This doesn’t mean living without ever becoming sick, injured or needing........

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