We are living longer than ever. In 1765, the average lifespan was just 38.8 years, and even by the start of the 1920s, still only 56. Then along came vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and tuberculosis. Today, life expectancy in the UK is 78.6 years for males and 82.6 years for females.

But longevity comes with a price: that of limping along with chronic health conditions. A report released last year from the Health Foundation reveals that almost one in five Britons are projected to be living with a major illness by 2040, an increase of more than a third from today.

The Telegraph London