Lifestyle intervention and preventive care could help save $650m by 2050: study

The study had 14,465 participants aged 21 to 94 years old living in Singapore.

Sustained healthier lifestyle changes amongst Singaporeans may help the Singapore government save $650m (US$505m) in healthcare costs by 2050, a study published in the journal Nature Ageing in July said.

The study, “Disease Burden, Lifetime Healthcare Cost and Long-term Intervention Impact Projections Among Older Adults in Singapore,” focused on modelling health status and healthcare costs for three major ethnic groups: Singapore’s Chinese, Indian, and Malay ethnic groups.

The model simulated four long-term lifestyle interventions aligned with the Healthier SG program from 2020 to 2050.

The study, led by researchers from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, had 14,465 participants aged 21 to 94 years old. The participants consisted of 47% Chinese, 26% Malay, and 27% Indian.

Results showed that the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and heart disease is projected to increase sharply amongst older adults by 2050.

The study showed that implementing all four interventions could save Singapore healthcare money and that sustained lifestyle interventions may moderate the increase in future burdens. The study also highlighted that policy strategies should prioritise preventive care tailored to the specific needs of diverse population subgroups.