The determinants of health

There are extraordinary developments taking place in the science of longevity, as detailed in the previous chapters. So why haven't people been living longer, better lives?

Health is influenced by factors in five key domains^[1]—the "non-sick" domains include behavioral patterns (40% of the influences on your health), genetics (30%), social circumstances (15%), and environmental exposures (5%). The "sick" domain encompasses healthcare (10%). While the exact percentages between the five domains may be disputed, most people will agree that when it comes to reducing early deaths, healthcare (that is, the quality of care you receive in a healthcare setting) has a relatively minor role, yet it consumes most of the attention of policymakers, corporations, and budgets.

The circumstances in which we are born, live, and age are the strongest influences on health, and are often called the wider determinants of health^[2]...