Life expectancy fell across the country in 2020. Here’s what experts say you can do to improve your overall health.
Between 2019 and 2020, life expectancy fell in every state in the country, by nearly two years.
For all 50 states and the district of Columbia, life expectancy at birth increased from 78.8 in 2019, according to new federal data from the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC-RNationaloCenternter HealthaStatisticstiNCHSNCHS) . To 77 in 2020. The new average life expectancy is likely to be the lowest average in nearly two decades.
The same report found that the states with the highest life expectancies were mainly in the west and northeast-including Washington, Minnesota, California and Massachusetts. The states with the lowest life expectancies are mainly in the south, including Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana, West Virginia and Mississippi.
Medical experts say it is shocking and disturbing to see such a decline in life expectancy, especially because the United States has gone through a gradual increase in its history.
“Our life expectancy has increased by 30 years in the past century, which is amazing and unprecedented in human history. Scott Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser, M.D. , an gerontologist and director of cognitive health for the elderly at the Pacific Institute of Neuroscience at St. John’s Health Center in Providence, told health that the decline in life expectancy is deeply troubling because our life expectancy continues to increase year after year.
Dr Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser added that the decline in life expectancy was not a major event that the country had experienced since the 1918 flu pandemic or the Second World War.
“There’s been some 1918 flu pandemic declines, but other than that,” Dr. Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser said, life expectancy has generally been rising. “Now, to see two years of decline in a row is worrisome. That should be a real wake-up call.”
Below we take a closer look at some of the reasons for the recent reversal in life expectancy and what you can do about it.
Hawaii topped the list, with the southern states at the bottom
The new NCHS report is based on 2020 data. While life expectancy has fallen in every state and the district of Columbia, the magnitude of the decline varies depending on the state you live in-from just 0.2 to as much as three years.
The top-ranked states, with the highest life expectancy, are mostly in the west and northeast. On the other hand, southern states have the lowest life expectancy, according to the data.
Hawaii, for example, tops the list with an average life expectancy of 80.7 years. Life expectancy in Hawaii is 77.6 years for men and 83.8 years for women. Washington state came second with an average life expectancy of 79.2 years. The average for Washington state was 76.9 for men and 81.6 for women. Minnesota, California and Massachusetts were among the top five states with nearly identical average life expectancies of 79.1 and 79 years, respectively.
At the other end of the list, the five states with the lowest life expectancy are Mississippi, West Virginia (72.8 years) , Louisiana (73.1 years) , Alabama (73.2 years) and Kentucky (73.5 years) . Mississippi has the worst life expectancy in the country, with an average life expectancy of 71.9 years in 2020. However, the figure was lower for men at 68.6 years and for women at 75.2 years.
Notably, the difference in longevity between the highest-ranked states and the lowest-ranked states also increased between 2019 and 2020, according to the data. In 2019, there was a 6.5-year gap in life expectancy between the highest-ranked and lowest-ranked states, and the gap has since widened to 8.8 years.
The nationwide decline has been linked to pandemics, unintentional injuries and other factors
Experts attribute the nationwide decline in life expectancy to two main factors-the covid-19 pandemic and an increase in“Accidental injuries” such as drug overdoses.
Jeff Guerard, chief medical officer of the Fullscript Medical Advisory Committee and a general practitioner, said the two factors had a significant impact for different reasons. For its part, Covid-19 set a record for the number of deaths. At the same time, accidental injuries have a major impact on young people.
“Covid-19 is obviously a new cause that didn’t exist in previous years,” Dr. Guerard said, “As drug overdose deaths occur, they mainly occur in the young population and will have a more significant impact on lowering the average age of death.”
Even though Covid-19 was a major contributor, Dr. Glad and Dr. Kaiser said that there were many other causes associated with and not associated with the pandemic that could have contributed to the decline in life expectancy in the United States. Other factors may include vaccination rates, masking practices, local public health responses to the pandemic and other social determinants of health.
Dr GLADD said: “Of course, the number of deaths directly attributable to COVID-19 infection is high, but indirectly, many patients are affected in terms of access to preventive medical screening and testing, activity and exercise, and nutrition.
Other factors, such as education level and health behaviors, such as avoiding smoking, also play a role, Dr. Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser said. Existing health systems across the country may also play a role.
“Our system is not necessarily designed to promote healthy behaviours that help people achieve optimal health and well-being,” explains Dr Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser, “We invest heavily in acute illness and rescue care, not prevention. So I think that’s reflected in our lower life expectancy.”
Other chief medical officer contributing to the decline in life expectancy include environmental factors, genetic factors, obesity, diabetes and heart disease, Dr. Scott Lauter, president of the Atlantic Medical Group, told health, and many unknown contributing factors.
Skills to improve life expectancy
Medical experts say adopting a healthy lifestyle and healthy behaviors has been shown to improve life expectancy, regardless of where you live or whether you have a chronic illness.
“Many states with higher life expectancy are directly linked to obesity rates. [ healthier states ] tend to be associated with places that cater to more active lifestyles,” Dr. Guerard said, “Which just means that activities like hiking and walking are more common, but everywhere, everyone has the opportunity to increase their activity.”
Beyond exercise, there are many other big and small changes that can make a big difference to life expectancy-even if you live in one of the lowest-ranked states in the CDC report.
“Moving to another state seems impractical and may not solve your health problems,” Dr. Lott said. “Instead, individuals should focus on manageable lifestyle measures and develop good health habits.”
Here are some practical steps that three doctors recommend to improve your health and longevity.
Eat a balanced and healthy diet
A balanced diet of a variety of foods, such as green leafy vegetables, fruits, protein, and whole grains, can increase life expectancy because of the vitamins, fiber, and minerals they contain. For example, one study found that a diet rich in beans and whole grains can add up to 10 years to a person’s life.
Exercise regularly or engage in physical activity/maintain a healthy weight
Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, which equates to about 30 minutes a day. Research has shown that physical activity can reduce several major risk factors for death, including type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and heart disease. In some cases, those who were active reduced their risk of these deadly diseases by about 30 percent.
Get Enough Sleep
It is also recommended that people get enough sleep every night to improve life expectancy. National guidelines recommend that, on average, adults get seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Studies have shown that people with better sleep patterns live longer.
Manage stress and mental health
People can also improve their overall health by managing stress, having a positive support system and paying attention to their mental health.
Nearly 52 million people in the United States are affected by mental illness, which can have an impact on longevity. Severe mental illness can reduce life expectancy by 10 to 20 years, a study has found. Other reports suggest that social isolation has a negative impact on overall health and increases a person’s risk of premature death.
Other ways in which people can improve their overall health and life expectancy are to limit their alcohol consumption, to avoid smoking, smoking or the use of illicit drugs and to arrange routine health checks, such as heart attack, stroke, colon cancer and other health conditions.
“Starting somewhere is the hardest and the most important. “Even single-action lifestyle changes, such as increasing vegetable consumption or avoiding smoking, can significantly increase life expectancy,” Dr. Guerard said
