The Asia/Oceania region has accounted for a large proportion of the increase in the world's older population in recent decades, and will account for an even greater proportion in the future (1). In the United Nations report "The World Aging Situation 1991 " it was noted that if 1985 and 2025 are taken as reference years and the proportions of the world's total elderly population in different regions are considered, then Asia/Oceania accounted for 58% of the total in 1985 and will have over 58% in 2025 (2). The sheer weight of the numbers of elderly in the Region makes the issue of achieving healthy aging a vital consideration in terms of the social, economic and developmental impacts. Partly in response to these demographic imperatives, there has been evidence of a growing political awareness of the implications of population aging for social and economic development, as well as an increased understanding of the associated impacts for individuals and communities in terms of health, well-being, and life-style (3). The great diversity of the Region in terms of national population characteristics, geographic features , socio-economic development, culture, political systems, languages, traditions, and social support and health systems makes it a particularly rich area for cross-national and cross-cultural research on aging. Further, it has been widely recognized that Asia is generally undergoing rapid change . Family structure is changing, and the traditional attitude of respect and veneration for elders cannot be always expected to prevail (4). Other economic and social changes, including urbanization, migration, industrialization and increased female work force participation, are also influencing individual and community responses to aging in societies throughout the Region. The demographic transition and accompanying epidemiologic transition in the context of such changes provide a particularly fertile ground for aging research at local, national and regional levels. Some of the key studies which have been or are being undertaken are described below.