Unhealthy Lifestyles

Despite the remarkable improvements in U.S. mortality levels and longevity during the 20th century, America’s unhealthy lifestyles are undermining the nation’s wellbeing and imperiling its future.

In addition to inflicting a sizable human toll, unhealthy lifestyles are exacting substantial costs from families, employers and the U.S. economy.

Over the last 40 years, America’s life expectancy has fallen behind those of other developed nations that culminated in an unprecedented decline in longevity since 2014. Recent declines in life expectancy were driven by increasing mortality rates among working-age adults, specifically those of lower socioeconomic status. Also, noteworthy differentials in life expectancy at birth have persisted among America’s major groups, namely, Hispanics (81.8 years), whites (78.8 years) and Blacks (74.7 years).

Prior to the pandemic, America’s life expectancy at birth of 78.8 years lagged behind the levels of many other developed countries. Life expectancies at birth above 83 years, for example, were experienced in Australia, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland.

Many social, economic and political factors are behind the comparatively lower levels and recent declines in U.S. life expectancies, including the absence of universal health care, public health crisis, inadequate federal drug oversight, lower levels of educational attainment, deindustrialization of American jobs, systemic racism and unhealthy lifestyles.

Particularly noteworthy, unhealthy lifestyles that are contributing to rising levels of preventable deaths are cigarette smoking, obesity, alcohol misuse and drug overdoses.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S., with nearly 500,000 deaths per year and smokers dying 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. For every American dying from smoking, no less than 30 others live with a serious smoking-related illness, including cancer, heart disease, stroke and various lung diseases.  TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE...