WASHINGTON (AFP) - Americans are living longer than ever, with the average life expectancy reaching 78 years in 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Wednesday.

But despite the steady upward climb of longevity, the United States was still far behind Japan, Andorra and Italy, where statistics compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that life expectancy exceeds 80 years.

The CDC report, based on preliminary data for 2005, showed that life expectancy in the United States has risen steadily in the past 50 years.

Americans lived for around 69 years in 1955, and 76 years in 1995, the study showed.

The age-adjusted death rate also fell to an all-time low in 2005, bottoming out at fewer than 800 deaths per 100,000 people, the statistics show

The age-adjusted death rate also fell to an all-time low in 2005, bottoming out at fewer than 800 deaths per 100,000 people, the statistics show.

"This report highlights the continued reduction in deaths from the three leading killers in the United States - heart disease, cancer and stroke - which is most likely due to better prevention efforts and medical advances in the treatments of these diseases," said Hsiang-Ching Kung, a survey statistician at the CDC and one of the reports authors.

The death rate from heart disease fell to 210.3 per 100,000 in 2005 from 217 per 100,000 the previous year.

Deaths from cancer fell from 185.8 per 100,000 to 183.8 per 100,000 during the same period, and stroke deaths fell from 50 to around 47 per 100,000.

"If death rates from certain leading causes of death continue to decline, we should continue to see improvements in life expectancy," Kung said.

On a sour note, however, the death rate from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases both increased by around five percent year-on-year.

Alzheimer's disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and Parkinson's the 14th.

White Americans' average life expectancy was just over 78 years, or five years longer than African-Americans, according to the study.

The longer life expectancy in the United States puts the country on par with the likes of Brunei, Cuba and Kuwait, according to WHO statistics.

The country with the lowest life expectancy in the world is Zimbabwe, where people can expect to live around 36 years, data from WHO show.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070912/hl_afp/ushealthlon...5NTFNLVSsmp86KOJOrgF

quote:

Originally posted by Jemeyes:
The longer life expectancy in the United States puts the country on par with the likes of Brunei, Cuba and Kuwait, according to WHO statistics.

Brunei has a population of less than 400,000 people. Also, it is a monarchy. According to Wikipedia "The media is extremely pro-government and the Royal family retains a venerated status within the country."

Cuba is, of course, a communist country. Really, please. Communist countries do not release accurate statistics.

Kuwait is just getting used to the idea of women being allowed to vote. Again, according to Wikipedia:

"Laws such as the new media law, has become a huge obstacle for writers and citizens who might consider criticizing the government's performance. Lately there have been many newspaper writers sent to court for stating their opinions regarding the government or specific ministries' performance."

The statistics regarding lifespans in many of these other countries are, at best, questionable. They're government statistics from dictatorial governments.

There was a time in this country when such discrepancies would be quickly pointed out in the media. Today? Nah.


P.S.: The people here, especially, should begin to recognize something about our own country, if we're not way behind the curve already. The demographic statistics regarding our country are soon going to begin lying in a similar manner. I don't mean the health report statistics from specific government agencies, like the EPA or the CDC, but the actual whole population demographics. For instance, even if the average lifespan in our country increases, it is going to decrease. When will this shift take place? In the Democrats darkest hour for socialized medicine. If conservatives begin to significantly turn the tide against the debate for socialized medicine, just when it seems the idea of socialized medicine is about to die on the vine, we're all going to miraculously start dying earlier. Predictions are a dangerous business, but I think you can trust me on that one.

Based on my observations about the quality of health of the latest generation it will be a wonder if most live past the age of 50.

If you look at the number of children with basic problems before the age of six years old, the asthma, diabetes, diagnosed mental problems, and the lack of challenges to their immune systems it is anything is possible to wipe out large groups in short order. They are being raised within an envelope made of tissue paper any tear in that envelope will overwhelm them very quickly.