Knowledge of lifespan and healthspan and interest in Healthy Longevity Medicine among the general population in Singapore: the Singapore HEalthy LOngevity (HELO) survey

Given the growing global interest in Healthy Longevity Medicine (HLM), the field lacks understanding about public knowledge and interest, which are crucial for any public health intervention relying on HLM. This study presents findings from the Healthy Longevity (HELO) survey conducted in Singapore, assessing public knowledge regarding lifespan (number of years a person is alive), healthspan (number of years a person spends in good health), and interest in HLM. This nationwide cross-sectional survey, conducted between June and August 2024, involved 3034 participants. Main domains including questions on demographics, living arrangements, medical information, health behaviours, income and financial status were tested for associations with knowledge about lifespan and healthspan, and interest in HLM clinics using binary logistic regression. While 82.3% of 46 years old [IQR, 34-59] participants correctly defined lifespan, 41.3% accurately defined healthspan and 55.5% expressed interest in HLM clinics. Younger age, male gender, Chinese ethnicity, higher education and income, full-time employment, lower body mass index, supplement use, moderate (vs. no) alcohol consumption, high exercise frequency and enrolment in (self-paid) annual health screenings were associated with better knowledge and stronger interest in HLM clinics. These findings highlight the need for targeted education to enhance understanding of healthspan and implement evidence-based preventive health programmes, supporting the clinical translation of geroscience into Precision Geromedicine through HLM clinics.