What will you die of…today?

The 1957 Popular Science article “What Will You Die Of?” said the average 45-year-old American is “about the luckiest man alive—just because he is alive.” It then went on to say that odds of that same American living until he was 65 were just one in three.

In the years following this article, major medical advancements unfolded: The Internet was discovered and utilized as an important communicative tool; the first heart bypass surgery was performed and an artificial heart was successfully implanted; and diseases that had been synonymous with death were researched for years, those affected could now live full, long lives.

Health insurers have evolved, too. Aetna and several other insurance companies are now focusing on fitness, wellness and preventative care. According to Carol Antell, RN, wellness care coordinator for Aetna; and Scot Roskelley, communications director for Aetna’s North Central region, Aetna offers tools that support their members’ health and promote a better quality of life. The company, which offers health insurance benefits to more than 35 million people, provides everything from iPod-friendly relaxation techniques to online health assessments, which can be used to create personalized, health-related tips and information to members.

Aetna also offers SmartSource, a personalized medical search engine that provides information about diseases, coverage, prevention and care.

People born around the same time the Popular Science article was first published are part of the Baby Boomer Generation. Rather than have a possible life expectancy of 45 years or an even slimmer possible 65 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a life expectancy of 78.2 years in 2009.

“Folks are finally beginning to understand that preventative care must be addressed and performed regularly,” Antell says. “Health companies and their members are also beginning to understand and take advantage of helpful options available to them.”