Summary of the Key Points
China's current average life expectancy is close to 80 years, and people no longer simply want to "live long enough"; they desire to "live with energy, be active, and continuously participate in life." The "China Urban Youthfulness and Anti-Aging Health White Paper" jointly released by Yicai and Ruxin challenges the traditional notion that "urban youthfulness" is equated with a large number of young people. Through a large-scale survey covering 249 cities and more than 20,000 residents nationwide, the report elevates the concept of "anti-aging" from a personal health practice to a core indicator for urban development. The conclusion is that true urban youthfulness means that all residents, regardless of age, have good health, places to enjoy themselves, and are willing to go out and engage in activities, thus maintaining vitality both in individuals and the city as a whole, rather than relying on the temporary excitement generated by overexerting the energy of the younger population.
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Four Easy-to-Understand Dimensions
1. **Stop Comparing the "Proportion of Young People**: The new standard for urban youthfulness is not about the age of the population**
In the past, we judged whether a city was youthful based on the proportion of young people aged 18-35. The report completely overturns this logic. For example, some cities have a high proportion of young people, but they often work long hours (996 hours), go home and lie down, and have no energy for activities on weekends. Can you really say these people are truly youthful? On the other hand, in cities with an aging population of over 30%, people over 60 years old frequently participate in activities such as attending senior universities, learning to skateboard, going on road trips, and making short videos, creating a vibrant atmosphere in the city. In other words, the new measure of urban youthfulness is not about your age on your ID card, but whether you are still willing to try new things and engage in life.
2. **The Prysm Index: A Simple Measure of Your Physical Fitness**
The report introduces the Prysm Index, which does not use any complicated medical terms. It simply assesses your ability to regularly go out and participate in activities, based on six achievable indicators: maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, not smoking, getting enough sleep, getting enough sunlight, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. The average score across the national sample was only 425.5, indicating that most people's physical fitness is just at the passing level. The report also highlights that two people with the same score may have very different lifestyles—one might stay up late but exercise three times a week, while another has a regular routine but never exercises at all. This shows that there is no one-size-fits-all standard for health, and individuals should focus on improving their own weaknesses.
3. **Don't Assume a Busy Urban Center Means Youthfulness**: Many so-called "youthful cities" with vibrant consumer, cultural, and travel scenes actually lack a healthy population base. For instance, Beijing, despite hosting many concerts, art exhibitions, and new consumer brands, has a large number of internet and finance workers who work long hours and lack sleep. Conversely, in some secondary and tertiary cities with less intense competition, there are free parks nearby, and residents can easily engage in outdoor activities, leading to better overall health. This means that the vitality of a city is not solely determined by its youth population.
4. **Youthfulness Is Not Exclusive to the Young**: True urban youthfulness is a result of the mutual support between people and the city. Past efforts to attract young people often involved offering subsidies and residency benefits, exploiting their energy for a short period. The report proposes a different approach: a city should provide a conducive environment for exercise and rest for everyone, regardless of age, and then create various opportunities for entertainment, learning, and social interaction. This way, people of all ages will be motivated to go out and participate, ensuring the city's vitality is sustained, not just due to the energy of the younger generation. A "long-lived city" is one where both residents and the city itself become younger over time, rather than just the younger population leaving.
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Please note that this translation aims to convey the essence of the original Chinese analysis while adapting the language to fit the target audience and financial journalism style.