Definition of "healthspan"

We now have a glimpse of a future which could include the ultimate conquest of frailty, disease and disability that occurs frequently with aging. […] In short, our goal is not just a longer lifespan but an extended "healthspan," helping a greater number of older Americans lead vigorous, more productive lives with less vulnerability to chronic disease.

1988 May 11, “Opportunities for Aging Research in the Fiscal Year 1989 Budget”, in Advances in Aging Research: Hearing before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, One Hundredth Congress, Second Session […] (Serial No. 100-21; S. Hrg. 100-972), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, page 18

[M]illions of Americans are currently spending large amounts of time and money on interventions that they hope will increase their "healthspans"—their periods of healthy life.

1990, David E. Harrison, “Introduction and Predictions”, in David E. Harrison, editor, Genetic Effects on Aging II, Caldwell, N.J.: The Telford Press, page 6

The evidence is clear. Four life-style factors are linked to a shortened healthspan: (1) eating a poor diet, particularly one high in fat, (2) not getting enough exercise, (3) drinking too much alcohol too often, and (4) smoking. In short, people with these habits become limited and die before their time.

1995, Elizabeth Vierck, “How to Live Longer, Healthier”, in Health Smart: Your Personal Plan to Living Longer and Healthier, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, pages 15–16

[I]nterest in human biology has actually increased among the general population. This is primarily due to medical discoveries that increase not only lifespan but also healthspan, or the number of years that people live disease free.

2004, Michael Windelspecht, “Series Foreword”, in David Petechuk, edited by Michael Windelspecht, The Respiratory System (Human Body Systems), Westport, Conn.; London: Greenwood Press, page xi

The better the care we offer and the more customized it is to the needs of the specific pet, the longer our patients will live and the greater their healthspans will be.

2021, Nan Bass, “Opportunities for Pet-specific Care”, in Lowell Ackerman, editor, Pet-specific care for the Veterinary Team, Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley-Blackwell, section 1 (Overview), page 23, column 2

The lifespans and healthspans of Drosophila reared with WJf, WJDf, GSf, or GSDf were compared with those of Nf-reared Drosophila […] In previous studies, the healthspan of Drosophila was defined at the point at which 50% of the individuals had locomotor ability […]. Although the healthspan of Nf-reared Drosophila was only 11.9 days, those of GSf-, GSDf-, WJf-, or WJDf-reared Drosophila were extended to 15.6 days (69.6% up), 18.2 days (98.2% up), 15.6 days (69.6% up), or 13.5 days (46.7% up), respectively […].

2023 January, Linh Xuan Mai [et al.], “An Alkaline Protease-digestion of Silkworm Powder Enhances Its Effects over Healthspan, Autophagy, and Mitochondria Function in a Rotenone-induced Drosophila Model”, in Gorazd Drevenšek, Gang Wang, Mona E. Aboutabl, Zoltan Sarnyai, editors, Nutritional Approaches for Prevention and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases (Frontiers in Nutrition), Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland: Frontiers Media, page 128