Intrinsic capacity across the life course: From exposure to functional trajectories and multimorbidity

Intrinsic capacity (IC), defined by the World Health Organization as the combination of physical and mental capacities, provides a unifying framework for healthy ageing.

This editorial presents IC as a life-course construct linking early-life and adult exposures to later functional change and the development of multimorbidity.

Its usefulness lies in shifting focus from disease to function, enabling earlier identification of decline and supporting more person-centred care.  Evidence shows that IC evolves over time and is shaped by biological, behavioural, and social factors, with early-life conditions having lasting effects on later capacity.

However, important limitations remain, including challenges in measurement, reliance on composite scores, and limited clarity on how IC relates to the onset of multimorbidity.

Despite these constraints, IC offers opportunities to improve early risk detection, guide targeted interventions, and inform health system planning.

Advancing consistent measurement and longitudinal tracking, alongside integration of social and biological factors, will be key to realising its potential for healthy ageing.

SOURCE: The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnha.2026.100859

AUTHORS: Lim WS & Ding YY