Leger is proud to be a part of the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN), an organization of different market researchers around the world that develops quality insights around the world. Multiple times a year, all WIN members conduct research on various subjects that interest the global population. World Population Day was July 11, and WIN, along with Leger, conducted surveys on parenthood, aging, and personal care. Leger conducted the study in the United States and Canada.
Highlights include…
Over half the world hopes to live long and well – but few are making plans for it
Globally, 59% of people say they value quality of life more than longevity. Women (61%) are more likely than men (57%) to prioritise quality over length of life. While 56% of young people prioritise quality of life, this rises to 62% among those aged 65 and over. Similarly, individuals with higher education levels are more likely to value quality: just 55% of those with basic education say so, compared to 63% of those with a Master or PhD. The countries where quality of life is most strongly prioritised include Paraguay (77%), Turkey (75%), and India (75%). In contrast, countries such as Poland (37%), Ivory Coast (41%), France (46%), Japan (47%), Greece (48%), Serbia (48%) and Hong Kong (48%) show more moderate or even lukewarm support for this view.
Despite this widespread belief in the importance of living well, only 35% of people globally say they are actively planning for ageing — through steps such as financial preparation or healthcare directives. Even among the elderly, only four in ten strongly agree that they’ve made such preparations. Interestingly, men are slightly more likely than women to report taking action (37% vs. 34%).
Planning is most common in Indonesia (61%), China (59%), India (55%), and Pakistan (51%) — countries where awareness around ageing appears to translate more readily into action. On the other hand, Japan (12%), Serbia (18%), France (19%), and Greece (19%) show the lowest levels of preparation.
People globally are more optimistic for a longer life
Nearly half of the global population (46%) express optimism about living a long and healthy life. However, this hopeful outlook tends to decline with age — from 49% among 18- to 34-year-olds to just 42% among those aged 65 and above. A similar trend emerges with education: 53% of those with basic education are optimistic about their longevity, compared to 46% of those with higher education.
Attitudes also vary widely by country. Optimism is highest in Thailand (83%), Indonesia (77%), Vietnam (74%), China (74%) and Paraguay (73%). In contrast, populations in Japan (11%), South Korea (26%), and France (26%) are far more sceptical about the prospect of long, healthy lives.
Technology and medical innovation are widely seen as key contributors to longer life expectancy. Four in ten people globally believe advancements in these fields will significantly extend human life within their lifetime — a belief that grows stronger with higher levels of education. Countries where this optimism is especially high include China (65%), Mexico (60%), India (59%), and Vietnam (57%). Meanwhile, more tempered views are found in Japan (22%), Serbia (28%), Morocco (28%), and Finland (29%).
Cultural attitudes are shaping when the world feels old
Since 2018, people have been feeling younger for less time and older earlier. In 2025, the average age at which people say they stop feeling young is 41 (down from 44 in 2018), while the age they start feeling old has dropped slightly to 53 (from 55 in 2018).
There are wide regional and national variations in perceptions of aging. In the MENA region, people begin to feel old the earliest, at an average age of 48, whereas Europeans feel old the latest, at 58. At the national level, Finland reports the latest onset of feeling old at 71, followed by Sweden at 64. In contrast, people in Morocco (36), China (46), and Ecuador (46) report feeling old before reaching 50.
Conversely, national-level data reveals striking differences in when people stop feeling young, even within the same region. In Asia, for example, South Koreans report feeling young until 51, while Thais stop feeling young at just 26. In Europe, some countries report feeling young until their late 40s (e.g. Italy at 49, Spain at 48) compared to just 35 in Sweden. These contrasts underscore that perceptions of youth and aging are shaped less by geography alone and more by specific cultural and societal norms at the national level.
A generation rethinking parenthood: a quarter of young people don’t want children
Globally, 16% of people do not have children and have no plans to. Amongst young adults aged 18–24, that figure rises to 22%, with strong correlations to education levels. The trend is particularly pronounced amongst women: only 10% of women with basic education fall into this category, compared to 20% of women with a Master’s or PhD. A similar pattern is seen in men, though less steep – 9% of men with basic education report no intention of having children, rising to 17% amongst those with secondary education or higher.
Regionally, the trend is strongest in Europe (18%), followed by the Americas and APAC (15%). Yet national variations are stark: in Thailand, 38% of women and 36% of men say they don’t plan to have children – the highest globally. In contrast, in Vietnam, virtually no one without children reports planning to remain child-free, followed by Côte d’Ivoire at only 2% for women and 3% for men.
