Why Life Expectancy Is Declining: Surprising Factors Revealed

The United States is facing a worrisome trend in declining life expectancy. In 2014, life expectancy reached a peak of 78.9 years but has been steadily decreasing ever since, with the most recent figure standing at 76.4 years. Surprisingly, this decline predates the COVID-19 pandemic, as revealed by the Washington Post in a comprehensive analysis. This decline is particularly pronounced when compared to other affluent nations. While issues like gun violence and the opioid epidemic are often attributed to the decline, they are not the primary factors. Instead, chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and liver disease, especially in lower-income areas, are the main culprits. Arline T. Geronimus of the University of Michigan points out that “cardiovascular diseases and cancers” are the significant contributors, contrary to popular belief that focuses on issues like homicide, opioid addiction, and HIV.

One alarming observation in the article states, “The best barometer of rising inequality in America is no longer income. It is life itself.” A noteworthy statistic supports this claim: in the 1980s, individuals in the poorest communities in the US were 9% more likely to die compared to those in other parts of the country. However, this figure has increased to 49% in the last decade and rose above 60% during the pandemic. The story attributes this trend to factors such as poverty, racism, distrust of the medical system, fragmented social networks, and unhealthy diets centered around highly processed food, which have overshadowed advances in medicine and nutrition. Once again, the US lags behind other nations in this aspect, as its wealthiest residents have a significantly shorter life expectancy compared to countries like Canada, France, and Japan. To delve deeper into this issue, read the full story. (You can also explore other Longforms.)