Blog of an Ultra-endurance Athlete Who Ran Solo Across the USA, Germany, Alaska and Mojave Desert: U.S. Life Expectancy Now at 78 Years

Friday, February 9, 2018

U.S. Life Expectancy Now at 78 Years

I was reading the other day that rising obesity rates in the U.S. may be responsible for as many as 186,000 deaths per year. Many people are literally eating their way to an early grave! Currently, the life expectancy in the U.S. is around 78 years.

Between 1880 and 1945, U.S. life expectancy rose from 40 to 65 years old. Rising life expectancy preceded the discovery of most antibiotics, vaccines and many modern treatments for cancer, heart disease and kidney failure. However, now we're seeing a decrease in life expectancy (see chart below). Drug and alcohol abuse are often blamed for reductions in life expectancy, particularly among young Americans, but recent research suggests that the U.S. faces multiple challenges when it comes to longevity and public health. For instance, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in America, killing more than 15 times as many people as drug overdoses.

Research shows that 74% of all deaths in the U.S. are caused by heart disease; cancer; unintentional injuries; chronic lower respiratory disease; stroke; Alzheimer’s disease; diabetes; influenza and pneumonia; kidney disease; and, suicide. Major increases in deaths are reported to be unintentional injuries, Alzheimer’s disease and suicide.