Health & Longevity Summit: The challenge of adding life to years

Living longer does not necessarily mean living longer in good health. In Italy, life expectancy at birth is 83.4 years, while healthy life expectancy stands at 58.1 years (Istat, 2024). This gap highlights one of the main challenges of our time: ensuring that living longer also means preserving health, independence, and quality of life.

These were the core topics of the Health & Longevity Summit 2026 event, promoted by Il Sole 24 Ore Group with the unconditional grant of IBSA Italy. Moderated by Nicoletta Carbone, a journalist at Radio 24, the event brought together over one thousand in-person and online participants, engaging institutions, clinicians, and industry experts.

How can we address population aging while simultaneously protecting people's health and the sustainability of the National Health Service? The keyword is prevention. Silvio Garattini, founder and president of the Mario Negri Institute, emphasized the need to intervene before the onset of diseases, including through daily habits such as regular exercise, getting sufficient sleep, and maintaining a balanced diet.

However, prevention also requires adequate organizational and institutional conditions. Guido Bertolaso, Regional Minister for Welfare of the Lombardy Region, examined the critical issues hindering the effectiveness of preventive interventions, while Victor Savevski, Chief Innovation & Partnerships Officer and Director of the AI Center at Humanitas, explored the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and technological innovation in healthcare, highlighting the importance of safe and sustainable implementation.

A healthy longevity is also built through small daily habits and attention to the various dimensions of well-being.

Olympic champion Jury Chechi and Damiano Galimberti, a specialist in Food Science and founder of I.L.S.A. (International Longevity Science Association), explored the role of physical activity and nutrition, stressing how a balanced lifestyle also includes social interaction and self-care.

Physical health goes hand in hand with cognitive health, which was the focus of the talk by neuropsychologist Giuseppe Iannoccari, founder and president of the Assomensana Association, who highlighted the importance of keeping the mind active over the years.

Relationships, inclusion, and solidarity also contribute to individual and collective well-being—an aspect that emerged from the dialogue between Arisa, singer-songwriter and ambassador for the Francesca Rava Foundation, and Mariavittoria Rava, president of the Foundation, dedicated to the value of care and attention toward the most vulnerable people.

Preserving quality of life also means recognizing and addressing the changes that come with aging. On the musculoskeletal front, Fabrizio Gervasoni, physiatrist and head of Home Care at Fatebenefratelli Sacco in Milan, and Silvia Tonolo, president of ANMAR, examined the relationship between movement and health, drawing attention to pain and the fear of movement, which can limit physical activity in people with musculoskeletal conditions.

Emanuele Bartoletti, a specialist in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery, and Maurizio Cavallini, president of Agorà, discussed the significant contribution of research and innovation to the evolution of regenerative aesthetic medicine, opening up new perspectives to accompany body changes over time.

Intimate and sexual health in adulthood was at the center of a discussion between Marta Giuliani, psychologist, psychotherapist, and clinical sexologist, and Emmanuele A. Jannini, full professor of Endocrinology, Andrology, and Medical Sexology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. The exchange explored the physical and psychological changes that can accompany different stages of life and the importance of acknowledging them without underestimating their impact on personal well-being.

Closing the event was Roberto Pili, president of the World Community on Longevity, who presented the Blue Zone case study and Sardinia's centenarians—one of the iconic regions internationally for studying factors linked to an exceptionally long life.

An inaugural event that marks the beginning of a long-term commitment: bridging advanced scientific research and the daily well-being of patients, because the future of health is built today, one quality year at a time.