US Life Expectancy Jumps To a Record 79 Years (reuters.com)
- Reference: 0180689276
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/26/01/29/199255/us-life-expectancy-jumps-to-a-record-79-years
- Source link: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-life-expectancy-hits-record-high-2024-cdc-says-2026-01-29/
> U.S. life expectancy [1]rose to a record high of 79 years in 2024 , an increase of six months from the previous year, reflecting a sharp decline in deaths from COVID-19 and drug overdoses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
>
> According to a report from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, life expectancy improved for both men and women across races and among Hispanics, surpassing the previous peak set in 2014.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-life-expectancy-hits-record-high-2024-cdc-says-2026-01-29/
And with only triple the per-capita GDP! (Score:2)
We're back to where we were 12 years ago? Saaay, pretty good. That beats most of South America! Not like, Chile. C'mon, that'd be crazy. But still, pretty good.
Re: (Score:3)
I have heard that we got out of at least eight ongoing wars last year. That probably accounts for a lot of it.
Not if.. (Score:3, Informative)
I.C.E. is in your area.
Life expectancy needs to be LOWERED!!! (Score:2)
That's why this is horrible news. The birth rates aren't getting any better, so all that means is more retired people living longer and putting a bigger burden on the workforce. Since Social Security is not something like an IRA, where only the money one put in matters: it is a pay-as-you-go ponzi scheme, and the smaller the workforce, the bigger the pressure on Social Security. Also, those who're unemployed can't help either
We need to cut what we spend on elderly healthcare, so that life expectancy go
Get back on the horse (Score:2)
Govt like - "See, there is no reason to cry about the economy we destroyed or the retirement savings we squandered away".
60 year old Americans still have another 20 years to save up for old age. Get to it
Who do I know that is 79? (Score:1)
Not quite sure, but finger's crossed.
Awesome! (Score:2)
So now the USA ranks... uh... 7th out of 7 in the G7. Awesome!
79, wow (Score:1)
life expectancy of 79, and president double quarter pounder with cheese is...79. fingers crossed.
Re: (Score:2)
Unfortunately, this is life expectancy at birth . Once you're already 79, odds are decent you'll make it a few more years.
probably accurate (Score:3)
COVID deaths are down, because almost everyone who is really susceptible to COVID is either heavily-vaccinated or already dead.
Drug overdose deaths are down, because fentanyl killed almost everyone who was susceptible to opiate addiction.
The lower death rates in the US is probably a real effect. However, it'll be temporary. In a few years, the new "don't vaccinate and eat all the beef tallow you can" guidelines will kill enough people to reverse the gains.
Evolution is alive and well in the US human population. This country is NOT kind to the weak and stupid. Ok, I'm done edgelording. Please downmod.
Re: (Score:2)
Restrictions on abortion will also inevitably mean more maternal and infant mortality.
Re: (Score:2)
> COVID deaths are down, because almost everyone who is really susceptible to COVID is either heavily-vaccinated or already dead.
Just wanna say: 100% agree. And also agree that the lower death rates in the US are likely related to how many (for lack of a better word - weak) people were killed off, especially the elderly. The elderly that remain are sturdy stock :-)
Re: (Score:2)
Sure but trending upwards we have getting shot by activists and getting stabbed by your adult children / co-writers.
RFK numbers (Score:5, Insightful)
Jim O'Neill is the current Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), assuming the role on August 27, 2025, following the dismissal of Susan Monarez. O'Neill, a former investor and deputy to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was appointed by the Trump administration to lead the CDC during a period of significant leadership and policy upheaval -- Yeah I trust the CDC, totally
Re: RFK numbers (Score:3, Insightful)
While I don't trust the CDC these days either, the numbers are for 2024, i.e. before Trump and his minions started their American fire sale. The numbers actually make Trump look pretty bad: not only due to the effects of COVID (which they claim wasn't a serious disease), but because the decrease in deaths from fentanyl shows that their entire "anti-drug" campaigns are horseshit, and that Biden-era policies were actually reducing deaths from drugs without engaging in wholesale slaughter of Venezualen fisherm
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
You are forgetting how the alleged administration operates. They know that people will see the headlines and since it came out after la Presidenta came into office, they will claim he is the cause and many people will equate the two. Of course his Maggots will but they'll believe anything he says.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you are attempting reason from facts to truth with this administration, you have to realize that path is a road to Hell, and it is not paved with good intentions.
Re: (Score:2)
Trumptards don't understand and they know those rubes will believe it's Trump who did this.
The CDC people would lie for him but this could just be a minor rounding up. They could be putting the numbers back to where they used to be before Trump's COVID fuckup lowered them down something that they are totally capable of doing.
That said, it's quite likely everybody's numbers that dipped due to COVID would average back to what they were and even go higher since some weaker people died off earlier which would r
Re: (Score:2)
Rather than focusing on leadership why not look at the numbers themselves. What reason do you have to believe that the numbers aren't correct considering they follow the same trend as literally every other western nation (while lagging them all and not showing any evidence of an extraordinary increase)?
Additionally if you are the conspiracy theory type, why would you think the administration would go out of its way to report high numbers during *checks note* Biden's presidency? You're so kneejerk that you t
Re: (Score:2)
I'm suspect of the numbers due to the administration upheaval, but my gut reaction was, "Duh... COVID killed off A LOT of people, and very likely was a lot of people with preexisting conditions." It'd make sense for life expectancy to increase in the years after such a pandemic.