Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
National

US Life Expectancy Is Flat For Third Straight Year; Last Similar Plateau Was In The 1980s

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 09 Dec, 2015 10:59 AM
    NEW YORK — Life expectancy in the United States has stalled for three straight years, the government announced Wednesday.
     
    A child born last year can expect to make it to 78 years and 9 1/2 months — the same prediction made for the previous two years.
     
    In most of the years since World War II, life expectancy in the U.S. has inched up — thanks largely to medical advances, public health campaigns and better nutrition and education. The last time it was stuck for three years was in the mid-1980s.
     
    It's not clear why life expectancy has been flat lately, but suicides and fatal drug overdoses probably are playing a role, experts believe.
     
    Some researchers have wondered if U.S. life expectancy will peak, due to the nation's obesity problem and other factors. But there no evidence that's happening now, said Robert Anderson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
     
    S. Jay Olshansky, a public health professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago, agreed.
     
    "It's too early to tell. Three years does not a trend make," he said.
     
    The United States ranks below nearly 40 other countries in life expectancy, according to the World Bank. Japan and Iceland are at the top of that list, at more than 83 years.
     
    U.S. health officials come up with the life expectancy figure each year by looking at how old people were when they died and the cause of death. They use statistical modeling to predict how long people born today will live if current trends continue.
     
    The CDC report is based on all the 2014 death certificates. There were about 2.6 million deaths, or about 29,000 more than the previous year. The increase reflects the nation's growing and aging population.
     
    Other findings:
     
    — Infant mortality dropped again slightly, to a record low of 5.8 per 1,000 births.
     
    — The 10 top causes of death remained the same: heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases like emphysema and bronchitis, accidents and unintentional injuries, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, flu and pneumonia, kidney disease and suicide.
     
    — Death rates fell significantly for five causes, including the top two — heart disease and cancer.
     
    — The largest increase was in Alzheimer's disease — 8 per cent.
     
    — Suicides and unintentional injuries — a category that includes falls, traffic accidents and drug overdoses — each went up by about 3 per cent.
     
    Overdoses are driving up those death rates, said Ian Rockett, a West Virginia University researcher who studies overdoses and suicides.
     
    Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. have been rising for more than 20 years — primarily from the abuse of powerful prescription painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin. Heroin-related deaths — though far less common than painkiller deaths — have also recently spiked.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Stigma A Barrier To Medical Cannabis Research, Advocates Say At Roundtable

    Stigma A Barrier To Medical Cannabis Research, Advocates Say At Roundtable
    VANCOUVER — When Jonathan Zaid turned 18, his mom gave him an unusual birthday present — one that would turn out to be life-changing.

    Stigma A Barrier To Medical Cannabis Research, Advocates Say At Roundtable

    Alberta Premier Says Farm Bill Is About Dignity, Basic Rights; Stands Firm

    Alberta Premier Says Farm Bill Is About Dignity, Basic Rights; Stands Firm
    EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Rachel Notley moved Thursday to quell a maelstrom of discontent over her farm safety bill by saying it's foremost about safety and dignity.

    Alberta Premier Says Farm Bill Is About Dignity, Basic Rights; Stands Firm

    Edmonton Retiree Winner Of $30Million Lotto Max Jackpot; Will Help His Children, Travel

    Edmonton Retiree Winner Of $30Million Lotto Max Jackpot; Will Help His Children, Travel
    EDMONTON — An Edmonton man did not tell his wife for several days that he held the winning Lotto Max ticket for $30 million.

    Edmonton Retiree Winner Of $30Million Lotto Max Jackpot; Will Help His Children, Travel

    Banks Defy Sluggish Economy, But Analysts Question Whether It Can Last

    Banks Defy Sluggish Economy, But Analysts Question Whether It Can Last
    Combined, the six largest lenders — Royal Bank, TD Bank, Scotiabank, the Bank of Montreal, CIBC and National Bank — earned $34.88 billion in net income during fiscal 2015, up almost five per cent from $33.27 billion last year.

    Banks Defy Sluggish Economy, But Analysts Question Whether It Can Last

    CRTC Uses Anti-spam Powers To Take Down Toronto-based Malware Server

    CRTC Uses Anti-spam Powers To Take Down Toronto-based Malware Server
    A computer infected with Dorkbot can also download other malware and compromise a system further.

    CRTC Uses Anti-spam Powers To Take Down Toronto-based Malware Server

    Son Of Slain Couple Stands By RCMP And Crown Despite Disclosure Problems

    Brett McCann has been attending a pre-trial hearing this week for Travis Vader, who is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the 2010 deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann.

    Son Of Slain Couple Stands By RCMP And Crown Despite Disclosure Problems