A new study published in The Journals of Gerontology has uncovered a surprising shift: U.S.-born Asian American older adults are no longer the healthiest aging group in the United States. Dr. Leafia Ye and Dr. Hui Zheng analyzed over 18 million survey responses and found that while other racial groups, including white and Black Americans, have seen steady improvements in disability rates among seniors, rates for U.S.-born Asian adults have stagnated since the mid-2000s.
Researchers point to increasing economic inequality within the Asian American population, particularly among low-income individuals, as a key contributor to the stalled health outcomes.
NBC News reports that common narratives portraying Asian Americans as a universally healthy “model minority” obscure deep disparities among subgroups. Disaggregated data reveal that specific communities, such as Filipino, Vietnamese, and Korean Americans, face higher risks of chronic illness and limited access to care.
The study urges public health officials and policymakers to abandon one-size-fits-all approaches and focus on tailored interventions. It also calls for greater attention to the social and economic conditions that shape aging outcomes across diverse populations.
NBC News: U.S.-born Asian Americans no longer the healthiest group among older adults
Yahoo! News: Asian Americans no longer healthiest older adult group, study finds