health
U.S. life span lags behind other countries due to smoking, obesity
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Feb. 7, 2011
A history of heavy smoking and rising obesity has contributed to lagging life expectancy rates in the U.S. compared with other high-income countries, says a new report by the National Research Council.
Between 1980 and 2006, the average life expectancy for U.S. males rose 5.5 years to 75.1, and 3.2 years for U.S. females to 80.2. But in both instances, U.S. increases were less than the average of 21 other countries studied, even though the U.S. spends more on health care than any other nation overall and as a percentage of gross national product. Smoking rates are on the decline, but high instances of lung cancer and respiratory diseases -- especially among women -- have contributed to lower life spans in countries such as the U.S., Denmark and the Netherlands.
Obesity may account for up to a third of the shortfall of U.S. life expectancy relative to other countries, said the study, based on data from the Human Mortality Database.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/02/07/hlbf0207.htm.
