Health is a family affair: secrets of longevity shared at the National Centre RUSSIA
Longevity begins to take shape even before birth, at home. This was the conclusion reached by the participants of the plenary session "Family as the Foundation of Health: Continuity of Healthy Habits", held as part of the Congress "National Healthcare – 2025". The event opened on 22 October at the National Centre RUSSIA.
Family is the foundation of children’s health and well-being, believes the session moderator, Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Yevgeniya Kotova. According to her, it is within the family — thanks to the attention and care of grandparents and parents — that the habits shaping active and healthy longevity are formed.
"The decisions of the President and the Government confirm that protecting maternal and child health remains at the core of state policy. And this is only natural — a person’s health begins to form during the prenatal period. Support for women during pregnancy, childbirth and the child’s first year of life creates an opportunity window for maintaining health and longevity. All national projects implemented in recent years have essentially become key tools for achieving the national goal set by the President," said Yevgeniya Kotova.
As an example, the Deputy Minister of Health cited the programme for building perinatal centres — 56 modern facilities have been created in the regions. In 2024, the six-year cycle of national projects came to an end; it also included an initiative aimed at developing children’s healthcare. During this time, 21 children’s hospitals and new facilities were built, more than 2,700 children’s clinics were modernised and equipped with advanced technology, and comfortable conditions were created for young patients and their parents to receive medical care.
"Unprecedented steps were also taken to expand screening programmes — prenatal, neonatal and extended neonatal screening. Today, we continue moving forward to further develop them and ensure the earliest possible diagnosis of diseases that can affect human health, including rare pathologies that modern medicine can detect at the preclinical stage. Naturally, programmes to improve the accessibility of assisted reproductive technologies are also developing. The number of cycles included in the compulsory medical insurance system and provided to citizens free of charge increases every year. This is significant support for families overcoming infertility and wishing to have children," said Yevgeniya Kotova.
Director of the Russian Gerontological Scientific and Clinical Centre of the N. I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and Chief Freelance Geriatrician of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation Olga Tkacheva noted that one of the state’s key objectives is to achieve an ambitious goal — increasing life expectancy in Russia to 78 years by 2030.
"This goal is indeed ambitious. It means not only extending life expectancy but also prolonging the period of active, healthy longevity. The nation’s health is built upon the health of each family, and at its core lies intergenerational harmony — grandparents, parents and children. But these challenges cannot be addressed by the medical community alone. A comprehensive approach is needed — involving education, culture, social services, transport and construction. The family requires not only an interdisciplinary but an interdepartmental approach. Only by joining forces can we achieve results," she emphasised.
Olga Tkacheva added that the ageing process begins even before birth — during the prenatal period. The health of a child and a young person determines what they will be like at 70, 80, 90 and even 100 years old. According to the expert, this is no longer fantasy: demographers estimate that half of the children born today have every chance of living to the age of one hundred.
"The way people reach old age — whether they remain active and independent, whether they maintain a high quality of life — largely depends on the family they grew up in. The lifestyle of parents, grandparents, and the model of ageing a child observes from an early age all play a crucial role. We want children to see older generations as energetic, purposeful, working, engaged with their grandchildren and living full lives. Then we will not fear ageing," she emphasised.
Head of the Department of Oncourology and Oncogynaecology at the Russian Scientific Centre of Roentgen Radiology of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Alexander Dzidzaria, supported this view. He noted that throughout his career, he had repeatedly encountered situations where medical care was provided without considering the patient’s overall condition:
"Even back at university, I noticed that elderly women with hip fractures were simply operated on. But none of the doctors asked: 'What about the bones? How is the endocrine system functioning? Why did the fracture occur?' There was a lack of a systemic, comprehensive approach. Each specialist often focuses only on their specific task — the orthopaedist on one thing, the traumatologist on another, the surgeon on a third. But we are, first and foremost, human beings and part of a larger system. Therefore, each of us must do everything within our power in our respective fields," said Alexander Dzidzaria.
The expert emphasised that a person’s health and longevity are shaped long before birth — even at the stage of conception planning. For this reason, the lifestyle, nutrition and emotional state of future parents are of great importance.
"A woman’s nutrition — how rich it is in trace elements and iron — directly influences the health of the child. Through the mother, the child receives the first signals about the world awaiting them. It is crucial for the mother’s diet to be complete and balanced. Even the level of stress in the family — the relationship between husband and wife — affects the child’s future health," said Alexander Dzidzaria. "When we talk about active longevity, a heart attack at 50 actually begins to form during the prenatal stage. Everything depends on the parents’ daily choices, on the habits they pass on to their child. This process begins long before the child becomes aware of anything — even in the womb, they perceive their mother’s taste preferences. Sport and an active lifestyle, for example, act as 'gene switches'."
Director of the Association of Medical Specialists for Risk Modification Alexander Rozanov emphasised that the family is a unique unit of society situated at the intersection of multiple ecosystems: medicine, education, employment, sport and other areas.
"What must be done for this system to function effectively? The approach must be systemic, evidence-based, consistent and continuous. For this, a clear concept is needed. Our association proposes the concept of '10 Rules of a Healthy Lifestyle', which includes ten parameters: nutrition, physical activity, body weight control, blood pressure, lipid and glucose levels, avoiding smoking, sound and sufficient sleep, as well as two crucial aspects — adaptive stress management and proper hydration," said Alexander Rozanov.
The 4th Congress "National Healthcare" is being held at the National Centre RUSSIA on 22–23 October 2025. The event is organised by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and the Roscongress Foundation, with the Russian Research Institute of Health (RIH) of the Ministry of Health of Russia acting as the organisational partner.
This is a key event for the professional community of healthcare managers, representatives of the legislative and executive authorities at both federal and regional levels, and leading manufacturers of medical products. The agenda includes discussions on the implementation of national and federal healthcare projects — their outcomes and best regional practices — as well as the modernisation of medical care delivery processes and issues of financial sustainability.
