Why Millions of Inactive U.S. Adults Are Fueling a Healthcare Investment Boom

Updated edition of analysis from December 16, 2025.

Here’s a paradox shaping today’s investment landscape: as one-fourth of adults in the United States are not active at all, the demand for healthcare solutions has never been higher. This sedentary reality, combined with rapid population aging, is creating unprecedented opportunities in the medical sector. The aging of America is no longer a distant demographic concern—it’s reshaping healthcare consumption patterns and generating substantial wealth-creation potential for investors.

According to data from the United States Census Bureau, the portion of Americans aged 65 and older reached approximately 18% of the total population by early 2026, compared with just 12.4% in 2004. This acceleration reflects a structural shift: overall U.S. population growth decelerated to roughly 0.5% in 2025, marking the slowest pace since the pandemic years. The culprits are well-documented—persistently low fertility rates and a historic decline in net international migration, which fell by more than half from 2024 levels.

The World Health Organization’s October 2025 Ageing and Health fact sheet highlights a critical milestone: in 2020, people aged 60 and older outnumbered children under five globally for the first time, signifying a permanent demographic reshuffling rather than a temporary fluctuation. Looking ahead, the organization projects that by 2030, one in six people worldwide will be aged 60 or older, compared with approximately one in eight in 2015. Population aging is accelerating far faster than historical precedent, with the sharpest increases occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

The Silver Economy Emerges: A Trillion-Dollar Market Takes Shape

This demographic transformation is generating a market of staggering proportions. According to Precedence Research, the global geriatric care services market reached approximately $1.21 trillion in recent valuations and is projected to expand to around $2.12 trillion by 2034, growing at a compound annual rate of 6.4%. This isn’t theoretical potential—it’s active demand driven by millions of aging adults with pressing healthcare needs.

What’s driving this expansion? The combination of rising life expectancy and widespread physical inactivity among adults is multiplying age-related health challenges. Conditions such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, osteoporosis, and diabetes are reaching epidemic proportions among seniors. Pharmaceutical and medical device companies are responding with aggressive innovation pipelines designed to address the unique needs of older populations.

Healthcare Giants Capitalize on Aging Demographics

Healthcare leaders including Boston Scientific, ResMed, AbbVie, and Amgen are strategically positioning themselves at the intersection of innovation and demographic necessity. By enhancing operational efficiency and expanding their presence in the seniors and aging demographics domain, these companies are securing competitive moats in high-growth segments.

Advanced Cardiac and Neurological Solutions from Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific continues to align its therapeutic pipeline with the accelerating needs of aging populations. In cardiac care, the company is advancing its modular cardiac rhythm management (mCRM) system—a less-invasive approach that pairs a subcutaneous ICD with a leadless pacemaker to minimize infection risk and reduce the need for repeat procedures, critical considerations for older patients with extended life expectancies.

The company’s neuromodulation portfolio has strengthened considerably, with long-term clinical data from 2025–early 2026 supporting spinal cord and deep brain stimulation therapies for chronic pain and neurological conditions increasingly common among seniors. Additionally, the completed Axonics acquisition expands access to sacral neuromodulation, addressing urinary and bowel dysfunction—conditions disproportionately affecting older adults. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Respiratory Care Innovation Meets Home-Based Therapy

ResMed is scaling home-based, digitally enabled therapies for sleep-disordered breathing and chronic respiratory conditions that surge with age. The company’s 2025 research, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, included epidemiological modeling projecting that U.S. obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) prevalence could approach nearly 77 million adults by 2050, propelled in part by population aging and reinforcing the secular demand for sleep therapy.

ResMed secured FDA clearance in December 2025 for Smart Comfort, an AI-enabled system that customizes CPAP comfort settings to enhance adherence—particularly vital for older patients managing long-term therapies at home. Clinical evidence reinforces the company’s core CPAP platform value: a 2025 global meta-analysis demonstrated that CPAP use significantly reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in OSA patients, many of whom are older adults. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders: AbbVie’s Focus

Parkinson’s disease, whose prevalence rises sharply with advancing age, represents a significant therapeutic target. AbbVie secured FDA approval for VYALEV in October 2024, marking the first 24-hour continuous subcutaneous levodopa infusion designed to smooth motor fluctuations in advanced patients and reduce reliance on complex oral medication regimens.

The company is advancing tavapadon, a once-daily oral D1/D5 partial agonist, with positive Phase 3 TEMPO trial data and regulatory filings on the horizon for earlier-stage Parkinson’s patients seeking simplified long-term management. Complementing this pipeline, AbbVie continues expanding the therapeutic applications of Botox in approved age-associated neurological disorders, reinforcing its emphasis on durable, function-preserving treatments for aging populations. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Bone Health and Cardiovascular Disease: Amgen’s Fortress Franchises

Amgen’s portfolio is increasingly concentrated on chronic, age-associated diseases that surge with population aging, particularly osteoporosis and cardiovascular risk. The company’s bone health franchises—Prolia and EVENITY—serve as cornerstone therapies for postmenopausal women and older men at high fracture risk, with volume-driven demand sustained through 2024–2025. Amgen continues emphasizing clinical and real-world evidence demonstrating meaningful fracture-risk reduction in Medicare-age populations.

In cardiovascular disease, Repatha has gained continued traction among older patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, supported by broadening guideline alignment and improved payer access. Together, these franchises anchor Amgen’s growth trajectory in durable, high-prevalence conditions directly tied to aging demographics. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.

The Insulin Revolution: Medtronic and Abbott Lead Digital Health Innovation

Beyond traditional pharmaceutical approaches, digital health and continuous monitoring technologies are reshaping diabetes and glucose management—conditions affecting millions of older adults. Medtronic secured FDA clearance in January 2026 for MiniMed Go, integrating its InPen smart insulin pen with Abbott’s Instinct CGM and AI-driven dosing algorithms to deliver real-time insulin guidance for multiple-daily-injection patients. This innovation extends automation beyond pump users, democratizing sophisticated diabetes management across broader adult populations.

Abbott, meanwhile, scaled Lingo, its pioneering over-the-counter biowearable built on FreeStyle Libre technology, enabling non-insulin users to monitor glucose without requiring prescriptions. Its nationwide U.S. retail rollout in late 2025 significantly broadened access and commercial monetization potential for continuous glucose monitoring outside traditional healthcare channels.

Why Healthcare Remains a Defensive Haven

From an investor’s perspective, healthcare maintains its status as a resilient sector during economic downturns. Demand for critical treatments, pharmaceuticals, and procedures remains stable regardless of macroeconomic conditions, ensuring consistent revenues and a defensive market positioning. This structural demand, amplified by aging demographics and widespread physical inactivity among adults, provides reliable cash flow generation and downside protection.

The convergence of population aging, rising disease prevalence, and continuous product innovation creates a compelling long-term thesis. For investors seeking exposure to demographic tailwinds that will persist for decades, the healthcare sector—particularly companies focused on geriatric care, chronic disease management, and aging-related solutions—offers both growth and stability. The aging of America is not a trend to resist; it’s an investment opportunity to embrace.

This analysis is based on data from the United States Census Bureau, World Health Organization, Precedence Research, and clinical publications through February 2026.