Ageing and changes in lung mechanics.

D ue to increasing life expectancy and low fertility, the European Union (EU) is an ageing society. Currently, 16% of its population is aged .65 yrs compared with an estimated 7% for the entire world. Further ageing of the EU population is projected over the next two decades, as shown in figure 1 for the UK, whose current population aged .65 yrs is identical to the EU average. By 2021, nearly 10% of the UK population is projected to be aged .75 yrs, with increased male survival reducing the current striking preponderance of females in the aged population. These demographic trends are important for the future patterns of healthcare and disease. Therefore, it is encouraging that three papers in the current issue of the European Respiratory Journal [1–3] address ‘‘normal’’ ageing of different aspects of airway function and study older subjects compared with many earlier studies.