December 9, 2016

Life Expectancy in the U.S. Drops for the First Time Since 1993

According to research from death certificates filed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics has released a report stating that for the first time in more than two decades, life expectancy in the United States has declined at one-tenth of a year or about 5 weeks compared to 2014 results.

Life expectancy at birth was 78.8 years for the overall U.S. population in 2015. The last time life expectancy in the U.S. declined was in 1993. The main cause for the decline, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were recurring leading causes of death – heart disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, unintentional injuries, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease, and suicide. The biggest increase was seen in Alzheimer’s at 15.7 percent. The report showed that women are still outliving men, a trend also seen in previous years.

The Good News

Of common diseases and conditions, cancer was the only major cause of death where rates showed an improvement; cancer deaths declined 1.7 percent from 2014 to 2015. The report noted that death rates from influenza and pneumonia did not significantly chance either.

Why Did This Happen?

Though researchers did not analyze the reasons behind this major decline, experts did note that it could be due to numerous explanations, including obesity, drug overdoses and suicides.

Key findings: Data from the National Vital Statistics System, Mortality

● Life expectancy for the U.S.population in 2015 was 78.8 years, a decrease of 0.1 year from 2014.

● The age-adjusted death rate increased 1.2% from 724.6 deaths per 100,000 standard population in 2014 to 733.1 in 2015.

● The 10 leading causes of death in 2015 remained the same as in 2014. Age-adjusted death rates increased for eight leading causes and decreased for one.

● The infant mortality rate of 589.5 infant deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 was not significantly different from the 2014 rate.

● The 10 leading causes of infant death in 2015 remained the same as in 2014, although two causes exchanged ranks.

Age-related Deficiencies: Which Vitamins and Nutrients are Best for Your Aging Body

Written by Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND

As we age, the need to keep up with the constant changes in our bodies can prove to be difficult. The aging process gives way to deficiencies as our bodies become less able to process many vitamins and nutrients. For this reason, it is important to reevaluate your needs as you age. The following five supplements are what myself and numerous studies suggest for older men and women, as factors like memory, bone and joint health and maintenance, and heart health begin to take on a greater significance.