Which country is expected to experience the greatest increase in longevity by 2030? A study of the 35 wealthiest nations in the world, completed by the Imperial College London and the World Health Organization, combined results from 21 statistical models and came up with some surprising results.10
The greatest improvements in longevity, during the next decade or so, should be realized by:11
- South Korea, whose annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person has increased 20-fold since 1960
- France, which has lower rates of obesity among women
- Hungary, where fewer men drink to excess or smoke
- New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, all of which have low infant mortality rates, fewer traffic deaths than other nations, and success in treating and preventing heart disease and cancer
The United States was at the bottom of the list, along with Macedonia, Serbia, Sweden, and Japan. The Economist wrote:11
“The most striking outlier is America. The world’s biggest economy is among the bottom five countries in expected gains for both men and women. At 77 years for men and 81 years for women in 2010, American life expectancy is already among the lowest in the rich world. That is partly because America is the only country in the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] that does not have universal health care, meaning poorer health for poorer people. It also has the highest maternal and child mortality rates, so fewer people reach old age. High obesity and homicide rates shorten lifespans as well.”
If the study proves to be accurate, by 2030, folks in the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Mexico will live as long as Americans do, on average.11
DISCLOSURES
LPL TRACKING# 1-588497
SOURCES
10http://thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)32381-9/fulltext
11https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2017/02/daily-chart-16