Key Points

• The prevalence of frailty in mainland France in 2022 stands at 12.4% among individuals aged 55 and older who are not institutionalized, representing an estimated 2.56 million people.

• It increases with age (ranging from 5.4% among those aged 55–64 to 46.8% among those aged 85 and older, representing an estimated 450,000 and 773,000 individuals, respectively).

• It is higher among women than among men, with the gap widening with age to reach nearly an 11-percentage-point difference among those aged 85 and older (40.0% among men and 50.9% among women).

• From a geographic perspective, regional disparities are observed in 2022, with certain departments in the Île-de-France region (Seine-et-Marne, Essonne, Yvelines, Val-d'Oise, Val-de-Marne, Hauts-de-Seine) and Brittany (Finistère and Côtes d'Armor) having the lowest prevalence of frailty (ranging from 9.7% to 10.3%), while Bouches-du-Rhône, the Alpes-Maritimes, and the Bas-Rhin have the highest prevalence rates (13.1%, 12.7%, and 12.6%, respectively).

• In terms of trends over time across all ages and genders, the prevalence of frailty in mainland France increased between 2013 and 2018, remained stable until 2021, and then decreased in 2022. By age group, it is generally stable among those aged 55–74, but tends to increase among those aged 85 and older (rising from 37.1% to 40.0% among men, and from 46.8% to 50.9% among women).