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Tag: Life expectancy

  • Why do Americans die younger than people in other wealthy nations?

    Why do Americans die younger than people in other wealthy nations?

    Americans have shorter life expectancies than people in other wealthy nations, even though we spend more on health care than other nations. The Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker looks at why it is that Americans die younger than people outside the US.

    KFF studied mortality rates in the US as well as Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Americans have a premature death rate of 408 deaths for 100,000 people under 70. The other countries had 228 premature deaths, close to half as many as people in the US.

    Unlike other wealthy nations, which have seen a reduction in the number of their premature deaths, the US has faced an uptick since 2010. Americans had a similar life expectancy as people in peer nations 45 years ago. We saw some increase in life expectancy with scientific advancements, but other countries saw greater increases in life expectancy by 1990. Moreover, peer countries did not see as great a reduction in life expectancy from COVID-19 as the US.

    Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death in each of the countries studied, particularly for older adults. New medicines have reduced the number of premature deaths from heart disease. But, since 2010, Americans have seen an increase in premature deaths from heart disease, while other countries have seen a decrease.

    Americans suffer more from heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, and chronic kidney diseases, which are collectively responsible for about 105 of the 408 premature deaths. COVID-19 was responsible for 64 of the 408 premature deaths in the US, and substance abuse was responsible for 29 of the premature deaths.

    Today twice as many Americans die of heart disease before the age of 70 than people in peer countries, likely because of more substance abuse and obesity in the US. Moreover, people with chronic heart conditions need ongoing medical care to remain healthy. But, Americans face much larger barriers to care than people in other countries.

    Cancer death rates declined by 40 percent in the US since 1988 for people under 70. And, the US cancer death rates remain comparable to those in peer countries over the last 40 years. Older Americans are less likely to die of cancer than people in peer nations. Some believe that’s because more Americans have died prematurely of other conditions than people in peer nations.

    Younger Americans suffer more from chronic conditions, substance abuse, injuries and communicable diseases than people in peer nations. Fifteen to 49 year olds in the US suffer two and half times more premature deaths than 15-49 year olds in peer nations. The premature death rate for this population in the US has not changed much in the last 45 years. In peer nations, it has dropped by half!

    The US has also seen higher numbers of childhood deaths than other wealthy nations. Over the last 45 years, the number of deaths of 0 to 14 year olds in the US has declined some, but it’s still higher than peer nations, 20 more deaths per 100,000 American kids. Some attribute this difference to racial disparities leading to worse health of babies at birth, more of whom are born premature or with congenital birth defects. In addition, three to four times more American kids died from killings, travel fatalities (we drive bigger cars and have less public transportation) and choking.

    Thankfully, medical advances have reduced death rates a lot. Many fewer people die of neonatal conditions, birth defects and HIV/AIDS. Deaths resulting from heart conditions also have dropped considerably. And, because fewer people smoke, fewer people are dying of cancer and heart disease. But, we are the richest country in the world, and there’s no excuse for our continuing to have shorter life expectancies than people in ever other wealthy country.

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  • Portugal’s health care system focuses on primary care and public health

    Portugal’s health care system focuses on primary care and public health

    Portugal spends much less than the US on health care for its citizens, but it focuses on primary care. So, when it comes to health, the Portuguese live longer and fare better than Americans, reports Usha Lee McFarling for Stat News.

    The Portuguese health care system is not modern. You won’t see fancy hospitals with marble atria. But, the data show that the Portuguese on average live four years longer than people in the US. And, the country spends 80 percent less on health care per person than we do. Yep. It spends 20 percent of what we spend on health care per person with far superior health outcomes.

    The 2021 Global Security Index looks at a country’s ability to respond to a pandemic and provide its citizens access to affordable care. Portugal was at the very top of the list of 195 countries, ranking third. The United States was at the very bottom, ranking 183rd.

    Portugal’s national health care system gives every resident free or low-cost health care. Access to health care is not based on ability to pay. Everyone is guaranteed access, though there is a shortage of primary care doctors, as in the US, and people need to wait to get needed care.

    A million Portuguese do not have a designated primary care physician, but they are cared for. Portugal has primary care neighborhood clinics and regional public health systems. It can track sickness as well as  where people are not getting health care. New medical treatments are not always available, but the focus on prevention and primary care is keeping the people healthy at low cost.

    The Portuguese health care system uses data to monitor the population individually and collectively. The government also engages in “social prescribing,”  using home visits to learn about patients’ social issues that can undermine their health and finding community resources to assist them.

    In 2022, the US spent $4.5 trillion on health care or $13,500 a person. But, the US ranks 60th relative to other countries on life expectancy. Our average, life expectancy in the US is 78.5 years, on a par with Turkey and Ecuador, not other similarly wealthy nations. In Switzerland and Japan, life expectancy averages 84 years. Portugal spends about $2,700 a person on health care, and life expectancy averages 82.3 years.

    The US might innovate on the health front, but its health care system is dysfunctional. Portugal, Costa Rica and Thailand get better results through their investments in primary care and community health.

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  • Denmark just named happiest country for retirees

    Denmark just named happiest country for retirees

    This year, the World Happiness Report names Denmark the happiest country for retirees. Denmark ranked second in the world for overall happiness. Two other Scandinavian countries, Finland and Norway, placed second and third respectively on happiness for older adults. 

    People in Denmark have a much longer life expectancy than people in most other countries. It has been growing over the last 75 years. Before long, it should be 87 for women and 85 for men. Health among older adults in Denmark is relatively good. More than six in ten of them between 65 and 74 said they had high overall satisfaction with their health.

    Danes typically retire at 65. Though in six years time, 2030, the retirement age will increase to 68. Denmark has a pension system for all Danes. The pension system can take care of many costs for some Danes, including heat, and health costs.

    The US ranks tenth in the World Happiness report for people over 60. But younger Americans are far less happy than younger Americans in other countries. The US ranks 23rd overall.

    The US ranks 62nd on happiness among adults under 30.  Happiness improves as we age. We rank 42nd on happiness for people between 30 and 44. And, we rank 17th on happiness for people between 45 and 59.

    Overall, as people age, the World Happiness Report says that people’s happiness declines a bit. But, “the prevailing negativity bias of younger ages is on average across the world increasingly offset as age leads people to focus more on positive news and memories, to accumulate enriching life experiences, to think better of others, and to rate their lives more highly.” 

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  • Life expectancy in US remains lower than all other wealthy nations

    Life expectancy in US remains lower than all other wealthy nations

    Brett Wilkins reports for Common Dreams on new data from the federal government on life expectancy in the US. We continue to live shorter lives than people in every other developed nation. Advocates for a government-run national health care system argue that it’s time that the our government moves away from for-profit health care and guarantees health care for all Americans under one single system.

    Life expectancy in the US is up 1.1 years according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). It was 77.5 in 2022, the most recent year for which we have data. It’s still significantly lower than dozens of other countries.

    Cancer, heart disease, injuries and Covid-19 were most common causes of death in 2022. We lost 1.2 million lives to Covid-19. With guaranteed universal health care, we might have cut that number down by 338,000 to fewer than 900,000 lives, according to one study.

    In 2020 and 2021, US life expectancy fell, in large part as a result of Covid-19. But, in 2019, life expectancy was 1.3 years higher than it was in 2022, 78.8 years. It should go without saying that the US spends significantly more per person on health care than other wealthy countries. Every other wealthy nation has guaranteed health care for all its citizens.

    For-profit health care is not good for patient health. Eagan Kemp of Public Citizen  advocates: “We must keep making the point that profit-driven healthcare is not only worse for patients—it’s a national embarrassment. Our leaders must act to kick insurance companies to the curb and enact Medicare for All now.”

    Not only does guaranteed health care for all deliver longer life expectancies and better patient outcomes overall, it costs a lot less than our profit-driven health care system. The Congressional Budget Office determined that guaranteed health care for all would cost as much as $650 billion less than we currently spend, back in 2020. It also found that without healthcare coverage, 68,000 people in the US die every year. Our health care system also drives millions of families into medical bankruptcy and financial distress.

    In the words of the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal: “There is a solution to this health crisis—a popular one that guarantees healthcare to every person as a human right and finally puts people over profits and care over corporations. That solution is Medicare for All—everyone in, nobody out.”

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  • US continues to spend more for poorer quality care than other developed countries

    US continues to spend more for poorer quality care than other developed countries

    Once again, The Commonwealth Fund is out with a report showing that we spend way more than other developed countries for our health care and yet get far less for our money. We spend more per person on health care than every other country and more as a percentage of our gross domestic product. And, unlike every other country, we don’t have guaranteed health care for everyone. 

    We live shorter lives, with average life expectancy of  77 , the lowest life expectancy at birth by three years than other wealthy nations. Black Americans live shorter lives than white Americans, averaging 74.8, as compared to 78.8. And Native Americans still shorter, averaging 71.8. Hispanic Americans have higher life expectancies at birth, 81.9. And Asian American life expectancies are higher still, 85.6.

    Our people have multiple chronic conditions at the highest rate of all nations. We also have higher death rates for conditions that are preventable or can be treated. We have the third highest suicide rates. We have the highest infant and maternal mortality rates. We have 5.4 deaths per 1,000 births and 24 maternal deaths for every 100,000 births. And, we have the highest obesity rates.

    Not surprisingly, more people in the U.S. die from assaults, including gun violence.

    While our government’s focus is on overtreatment, we have far fewer physician visits than people in other countries. We also have proportionately fewer physicians and hospital beds than other developed countries. 

    As a percentage of GDP, we spend about twice as much as the average of other developed countries on health care, at nearly 18 percent. That percentage is growing as prices continue to rise, our population ages, and new technologies for treating patients are developed. 

    On a per person basis, we spend twice as much on total healthcare costs as Germany, the next highest-spending country. And, we spend close to four times as much as most other developed countries.

    Though other developed countries guarantee health care for all, through public health insurance, they generally also offer their residents the right to buy private health insurance. In the US, more than 26 million people—8.6 percent have no insurance at all, and tens of millions more are underinsured, often unable to afford care even though they have insurance. 

    Affordable care for everyone is critical to reining in costs and addressing these terrible quality of care US rankings. Right now, even with insurance, almost half of US residents skipped or delayed getting needed care because of the cost. In addition to reining in health care costs, we must ensure well-coordinated care, including primary care, starting with investing in more primary care providers. 

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  • Adding salt to your diet could be bad for your health. . . unless you also eat fruits and vegetables

    Adding salt to your diet could be bad for your health. . . unless you also eat fruits and vegetables

    A new study published in the European Heart Journal finds that adding salt to your food, as distinct from using salt in a recipe, could be bad for your health, leading to a greater risk of a lower life expectancy and premature death. However, people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables rich in potassium, along with added salt, should have no greater risk to their life expectancy.

    Nicole Lou writes in MedPageToday that this study, over nine years, found that people who add salt to their diet often ended up more likely to die of cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer. People eating more salt did not see a heightened risk of death from dementia.

    In the US, the salt that people add to their meals, before digging in, represents between six and 20 percent of the total amount of sodium chloride they consume. So, if you are healthy, and you eat fruits and vegetables rich in potassium, you likely do not need to give another thought to the salt you add to your meals. Focus more on the fruits and vegetables!

    No one knows how much salt is the “right amount” to use. But, if you are not healthy, there is every reason for you to reduce the amount of salt you add to your meals at the table. It should help to lower your blood pressure and your risk of premature death.

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  • Coronavirus: Life expectancy drops significantly for Blacks and Hispanics

    Coronavirus: Life expectancy drops significantly for Blacks and Hispanics

    Health equity issues run deep in the US. And, the huge drop in life expectancy for Blacks and Hispanics since the pandemic underscores these inequities. Kaiser Health News reports on the significant effects of the novel coronavirus on people of color who never contracted Covid-19.

    We’ve lost 600,000 lives in the US as a result of the devastating impact of Covid-19. Millions more people have lost their jobs, their homes and opportunities to prosper. Consequently, they are more likely to become impoverished, hungry and sick, and to die prematurely.

    Black and Hispanic Americans have been hit hard; racial disparities could well become even more pronounced. The latest data shows a drop in life expectancy of 1.36 years for white Americans since the pandemic. Life expectancy for Black Americans has dropped by more than double that, 3.25 years. Life expectancy for Hispanics has dropped by 3.88 years.

    These drops in life expectancies for Black and Hispanic Americans over the last two years are monumental. Usually, life expectancies vary by no more than one or two months from one year to the next. And, don’t think other countries are experiencing the same inequities in life expectancies; the US is exceptional.

    As compared to other countries, Americans are now expected to have lifespans that are 4.7 years shorter, on average. In 2020, almost one in four more Americans died than in 2019. Many of these additional deaths were Covid-related, but many were not. Many more Americans had heart attacks and strokes in 2020 than 2019, as a result in part of lack of access to critical care.

    A lot of the worst consequences of the pandemic resulted from income inequality. People with low incomes and assets, predominantly Blacks and Hispanics, lost jobs at high rates and are projected to not get back to income levels pre-pandemic for a few years. People with the lowest incomes and education levels may never return to pre-pandemic income levels.

    Today, more than one in ten Americans live in poverty, up 0.6 percent from 18 months ago. Now that the federal government’s moratorium on evictions is ending, things could get a lot worse for hundreds of thousands of people of color. Lack of housing contributes to chronic disease. Lack of jobs leads to food insecurity, which contributes to a series of chronic diseases.

    Pre-pandemic, six in ten Americans had diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure or were obese. While the American Rescue Plan was intended to help some Americans hardest hit by the pandemic, many states have undermined its benefits. And, without good child care, it’s hard for parents to work. About half of all child care centers have closed since the pandemic, threatening economic recovery particularly for working mothers.

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  • Is it likely that you’ll live to 105?

    Is it likely that you’ll live to 105?

    Ferris Jabr writes for the New York Times Magazine on the possibility that human beings will have far longer life expectancies than we could ever imagine. For sure, you should not think that living to 105 is an aberration. Twenty-four years ago, one woman residing in the south of France lived until the age of 122!

    In 2015, estimates are that 450,000 people lived to be over 100 years old. That’s more than four times the 950,000 people who reached their 100th birthday in 1990. And, projections are that in the next century, 79 years from now, 25 million people will live to 100 or longer.

    There are still not a lot of people who live to 110. But, the number is definitely growing. Japan reports 146 in 2015, up from 22 in 2005. Very few people live to 115.

    Many scientists believe that human beings will never live much past 115. But, some scientists believe that people’s life expectancy could be a lot longer. We have not begun to reach our limit. According to them, the biological data does not indicate that death is inevitable.

    Yes, aging does take a toll on our bodies. Our bones harden and contract, our muscles fall away, our organs do not function as quickly or as fluidly, our immune system loses its ability to protect us. But, could we somehow change our biology to delay the aging of our bodies or even reverse it?

    Scientists are finding in studies with mice that aging is reversible, to some extent. Cells can come back to life. This finding leads to the question, if people’s life expectancy could be 105 or 115, is this what we would want? Would it be a burden? Would longer life come with well-being? What would it mean for future generations? Would it keep us from moving forward as societies? How would each of us think about our time on earth after 90 or 100?

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  • Where’s your body fat?

    Where’s your body fat?

    Nicholas Bakalar reports for The New York Times on how extra fat in different parts of your body could affect your life expectancy. With fat in some places, you reduce your life expectancy. With fat in other places, you increase your life expectancy.

    Generally, if you have body fat, no matter where it sits, you are likely to be at higher risk of dying younger. But, a meta-analysis of an enormous amount of research found that your risk varies based on where the extra body fat is located.

    Researchers looked at 72 studies involving a total of 2.5 million people. They found that people with a lot of body fat in their waists, in the abdomen, were most likely to die prematurely. And, the amount of extra fat around your waist matters. An additional four inches added an 11 percent greater likelihood of dying prematurely.

    Large waist size often means a higher likelihood of heart disease. It also can mean a higher risk of diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

    What’s interesting is that the researchers found that there are some locations where extra fat increases your life expectancy. People with large thighs are less likely to die prematurely. Every two inches in thigh circumference means a 19 percent lower risk. People with larger thighs have more protective muscle.

    For women, every four inches extra in hip circumference reduced risk of death by 10 percent. Women with larger hips have subcutaneous fat, not visceral fat, and that can be helpful.

    The researchers also looked at people who had both larger waists and larger hips. They found that people with both still had a greater risk of dying early.

    You might wonder how people who have less than the normal about of fat on their waists fare when it comes to life expectancy. There’s not as much research. But, what the data show is that, within a range, less waist fat could improve life expectancy. Outside that range, it’s unclear.

    What can you do to extend your health and life expectancy? Focus less on your overall weight and more on your waist size!

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  • How old can we possibly get?

    How old can we possibly get?

    How old can we possibly get? While Americans are not living as long as people in other wealthy countries, we are living about eight years longer than 50 years ago. Meghana Keshavan reports for Stat News on a new study published in Science, which finds that after we get to the ripe old age of 105, the odds of our dying from one year to the next plateaus.

    Researchers at University of California, Berkeley analyzed data from nearly 4,000 Italians over the age of 105. They observed that after 105, people’s likelihood of dying levels out. Their findings counter a 2016 study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, published in Nature, which found that we could not live longer than about the age of 115.

    Our likelihood of dying increases as we age until we turn 80. If we live past 80, our risk of death continues to increase, but more slowly, with each passing year. At 105, the risk of death levels out, meaning that whether you are 105 or 110, you have the same risk of death. Even at age 115, with technological advances, you have the same risk of death and could live much longer.

    While average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. (78.7 years) is lower today than in most other high-income countries, it is projected to worsen. In 2030, U.S. life expectancy is expected to be on a par with the Czech Republic for men, and Croatia and Mexico for women. The U.S. has the highest child and maternal mortality, homicide rate, and body-mass index of all wealthy countries. Researchers suggest that lower life expectancy in the U.S.–and even declining life expectancy for some populations–stems in part from our lack of universal health coverage.

    Remember, the top predictor for a longer life is social relationships, family and friends, buddies. Some experts say that people with a plant-based diet, who are socially engaged and have purpose, live longer. There are ten times as many centenarians in Sardinia than in the US. These Sardinians are surrounded by multi-generations of family members and friends.

    Note: The latest study on living longer recommends drinking five or fewer alcoholic beverages a week.

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