Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Aging
Sec. Healthy Longevity
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fragi.2025.1491146

Demographic, Health, and Behaviors Profile of Saudi Arabia's Aging Population 2022-2023

Provisionally accepted
Nasser Bindhim Nasser Bindhim 1Mohammed Senitan Mohammed Senitan 2*Madhawi Almutairi Madhawi Almutairi 3Leen Alhadlaq Leen Alhadlaq 4Sundus Alnajem Sundus Alnajem 1Maryam Alfaifi Maryam Alfaifi 1Nora Althumiri Nora Althumiri 1
  • 1 Informed Decision-Making for Research and Studies, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 2 Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
  • 3 Ministry of Interior (Saudi Arabia), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 4 College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: The population aged 60 years and older in Saudi Arabia is rapidly increasing, leading to concerns regarding their health, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle behaviors. Aging is associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases, multimorbidity, and mental health issues, which can significantly affect the quality of life. However, national data on older people in Saudi Arabia remain limited. Aim: This study aims to profile older people in Saudi Arabia during the years 2022-2023, focusing on their demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, health conditions, and lifestyle behaviors. Methods: Data were drawn from the Sharik Health Indicators Surveillance System (SHISS) 2022-2023, a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted through phone interviews. The final analysis included 2,702 participants aged 60 years and older. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize demographic, health, and behavioral data.The study revealed that over half (52%) of the participants had two or more chronic conditions, with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and type 2 diabetes being the most common. Mental health assessments indicated that 17.7% of older people were at risk of depression, and another 17.7% were at risk of anxiety. Additionally, the study found low adherence to healthy behaviors, with only 11.1% meeting the recommended fruit and vegetable intake and 20.1% engaging in sufficient physical activity. Furthermore, 67% of older people were classified as overweight or obese. Conclusions: Older people in Saudi Arabia face significant health challenges, including high rates of multimorbidity, mental health risks, and poor lifestyle behaviors. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted health interventions and educational programs tailored to older people, aiming to improve their quality of life and contribute to the national goals outlined in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

    Keywords: Aging Population, multimorbidity, Elderly health, Saudi Arabia, Mental Health, Lifestyle behaviors

    Received: 04 Sep 2024; Accepted: 04 Feb 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Bindhim, Senitan, Almutairi, Alhadlaq, Alnajem, Alfaifi and Althumiri. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Mohammed Senitan, Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Dammam, 11673, Saudi Arabia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.