The United States has the lowest life expectancy compared to other developed nations since the mid-1990s.
Native Americans have a life expectancy of 65 years, followed by Black Americans at 71 years, White Americans at 76 years, Hispanic Americans at 78 years, and Asian Americans at 84 years; the pandemic has exacerbated this disparity.
Life expectancy among countries is as follows-
Japan is first, then South Korea, then Singapore, then Switzerland, then Spain, then Norway, Finland, Italy, Sweden, and Iceland. Chronic diseases such as heart disease, liver disease, cancer, and diabetes were shown to be the leading causes of death in the study’s target population of American adults aged 35 to 64. The death rate in cities has dropped significantly, whereas in other parts of the country, it has flattened and subsequently risen. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the death rate for adults aged 35 to 64 in remote places was 45 percent higher than in the most populated cities.
The average lifespan of a city dweller is predicted to be higher than that of a rural or small-town resident because of more accessible access to quality medical treatment. Although the United States is at the forefront of technological advancement, pharmaceutical development, and therapies, experts agree that much more needs to be done on the front lines of disease prevention.
The percentage of obese adults in the United States rose from 11.6% in 1990 to 41.9% in 2016. The mortality rate attributable to obesity among adults aged 35–64 has doubled twice in the last four decades. Obesity is a significant contributor to the slower pace of improvement in cardiovascular disease and is quickly approaching cigarettes as the leading preventable cause of cancer. Patients with diabetes and obesity can benefit from new medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, but insurance companies typically won’t cover them for people who don’t have diabetes.
Life expectancy is a wide-angle snapshot of average death rates for people of various locations and ages, which can make it difficult to interpret. Unfortunately, the United States does not fare well compared to other developed nations on the indicator of life expectancy.
