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Accidents, Murders, Preemies, Fat, and U.S. Life Expectancy
A breakdown of the recently-announced increase in life expectancy and a comparison of developed nations on several contributing factors. A breakdown of the recently-announced increase in life expectancy and a comparison of developed nations on several contributing factor... more
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Life expectancy hits record high in United States
Americans' life expectancy reached a record high of 78.1 years in 2006, with disparities among ethnic groups and between the sexes generally narrowing, according to government data released yesterday.
The death rates from most diseases went down, with influenza mortality falling steeply and AIDS mortality marking its 10th straight year of decline. Infant mortality in 2006 also fell from the previous year, continuing a trend stretching back nearly 50 years.
"This report has a lot of good news," said Melonie P. Heron, a demographer at the National Center for Health Statistics who compiled and analyzed the data drawn from death certificates filed with each state and the District.
The favorable trends appear to contradict reports of shortening life spans in some Americans, specifically women living in rural parts of the South and Midwest. The new report, however, did not examine mortality at that level of detail. The two trends -- overall national improvement, with certain subgroups doing worse -- are not incompatible, experts noted. Americans' life expectancy reached a record high of 78.1 years in 2006, with disparities among ethnic groups and between the sexes gen... more -
US life expectancy tops 78!
U.S. life expectancy has hit a new record: 78.1 years for babies born in 2006, says the CDC.
What's more, the death rate for 11 of the top 15 causes of death -- including heart disease, cancer, and stroke -- slowed in 2006.That's what the CDC's preliminary data show, based on some 2.4 million deaths in 2006. Here are the highlights from the CDC's report.
Life ExpectancyLife expectancy in 2006 is about four months longer than it was in 2005, according to the CDC.White women continue to have the longest life expectancy, followed by African-American women, white men, and African-American men. Those patterns have held since 1976, though all groups have seen their life expectancy improve during that time.
Here are the 2006 life expectancy figures for each of those groups:
* White women: 81 years
* African-American women: 76.9 years
* White men: 76 years
* African-American men: 70 years
U.S. life expectancy has hit a new record: 78.1 years for babies born in 2006, says the CDC. ... more -
Women's Life Expectancy in US goes down
Life expectancy for women in Deep South , Appalachia, lower Midwest and one county in Maine has dropped in the most significant change since the Spanish influenza of 1918. Rather than racial or ethnic factors, women affected is based on their living in rural and low-income areas.The numbers, according to the study, are driven by increases in deaths from diabetes, lung cancer, emphysema and kidney failure. These deaths reflect the longterm consequences of smoking and the growing obesity problem in the US. Life expectancy for women in Deep South , Appalachia, lower Midwest and one county in Maine has dropped in the most significant change... more
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Japan's oldest person dies at 113
Kaku Yamanaka, Japan's oldest person has died of old age. She was born Dec. 11, 1894.
Japan has one of the world's longest average life spans, "a factor often attributed to a healthy diet rich in fish and rice." In 2006 Japanese women set the record for life expectancy, 85.81 years. Men live an average of 79 years.
The number of Japanese people living over 100 years has quadrupled in the past 10 years There were 32,295 centenarians in 2007, according to the Health Ministry.
Edna Parker of Shelbyville, Indiana, is recognized as the world's oldest person at age 114, according to Guinness World Records. She was born on April 20, 1893. Kaku Yamanaka, Japan's oldest person has died of old age. She was born Dec. 11, 1894. ... more -
Oldest Texan dead at 114
Arbella Perkins Ewings had her 114 birthday March 13. During her party she warned everyone that she would not be around much longer, "It's time to meet my maker." 9 days later she passed away.
Her secret to long life: "She spent six months minding her own business and six months leaving other people alone."
Arbella Perkins Ewings had her 114 birthday March 13. During her party she warned everyone that she would not be around much longer, ... more -
Gap in life expectancy widens for the nation
New government research has found "large and growing disparities" between the the life expectancy for the rich and the poor. On the whole life expectancy for the nation has grown but affluent people have experienced more growth which makes the gap bigger.
Some of the reasons researchers say may be responsible for the gap:
Doctors can detect and treat many forms of cancer and heart disease because of advances in medical science and technology. People who are affluent and better educated are more likely to take advantage of these discoveries.
Smoking has declined more rapidly among people with greater education and income.
Lower-income people are more likely to live in unsafe neighborhoods, to engage in risky or unhealthy behavior and to eat unhealthy food.
Lower-income people are less likely to have health insurance, so they are less likely to receive checkups, screenings, diagnostic tests, prescription drugs and other types of care.
What do you think?
Check out the article for more information on this issue. New government research has found "large and growing disparities" between the the life expectancy for the rich and the poor. On the ... more -
Life expectancy tied to education
Life expectancy in the U.S. is rising, but only in people with more than 12 years of education.
Apparently people with more than 12 years of education can expect to live to be 82 years old. Those with less can expect to live to be 75 years old.
It might be time to go back to school. Life expectancy in the U.S. is rising, but only in people with more than 12 years of education. ... more -
Global life expectancies compared (a.k.a. where you live can influence when you di...
This is a great visualization from GapMinder.org allows you to see how the average life expectancies for each country surveyed have changed over the years.
Click on a dot (or select a country in the lefthand menu) and hit play to see how the statistics have changed over the years. This is a great visualization from GapMinder.org allows you to see how the average life expectancies for each country surveyed have ch... more -
Healthy Living Can Add Up to 14 Years Of Life
Taking exercise, not drinking too much alcohol, eating enough fruit and vegetables and not smoking can add up to 14 years to your life, a study says.
Research involving 20,000 people over a decade found those who failed on all criteria were four times more likely to have died than those who succeeded.
The findings held true regardless of how overweight or poor they were.
The Public Library of Science Medicine study suggests many could increase their lifespan through simple changes.
The research was carried out by the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council in the English county of Norfolk between 1993 and 2006.
Participants were aged between 45 and 79. They were socially mixed although overwhelmingly white, and as far as they were aware at the time, did not have cancer or any heart problems.
Taking exercise, not drinking too much alcohol, eating enough fruit and vegetables and not smoking can add up to 14 years to your life... more -
U.S. Ranks 42nd in Life Expectancy
Something is wrong here when one of the richest countries in the world, the one that spends the most on health care, is not able to keep up with other countries, said Dr. Christopher Murray, head of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Something is wrong here when one of the richest countries in the world, the one that spends the most on health care, is not able to k... more
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Life Expectancy
