When governments increase their investments in programs that promote healthy aging, health care costs are reduced, according to the Preventive Care and Healthy Ageing: A Global Perspective, a Pfizer-sponsored report from the Economist Intelligence Unit.

"It's crucial for policymakers to consider measures that help aging individuals remain active and healthy members of society to avoid the heavy burdens associated with the cost of long-term care," says Katherine Dorr Abreu, editor of the report. "The EIU's report states preventive measures can have up to a fourfold return on investment and can help adults maintain an optimal quality of life as they age."

The report, which includes data from Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States, finds that age-related, infectious diseases, such as pneumonia and influenza, along with noninfectious chronic diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, are having impacting older adults for longer time frames. This contributes to rising health care costs and considerably limits a worker's productivity and need for support.