I think this new study is relevant to this discussion:

it says that we are living longer but sicker lives. And, most of what makes us sick is too much of a good thing (fats and sugars) and not enough of less desirable things like exercise:

"A sick world: We live longer, with more pain and illness
... Over three million deaths globally were attributable in 2010 to excess body weight, more than three times as many as malnutrition.

"We've gone from a world 20 years ago where people weren't getting enough to eat to a world now where too much food and unhealthy food - even in developing countries - is making us sick," said Majid Ezzati of Imperial College London, one of the lead researchers.

However, the major health problems now are diseases and conditions that don't kill, but make us ill. We now live longer with more health problems that cause pain, impair mobility, and prevent us seeing, hearing and thinking clearly. ..."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8BC12K20121214