If you're thinking of moving to another country in your last few years in order to extend your life, you'd clearly be better off changing your lifestyle now - including your eating habits - in order to live a longer and healthier life.

Other Nations Still Top U.S. in Life Expectancy

 

By David Pittman, Washington Correspondent, MedPage Today

Published: August 19, 2012

 

 

WASHINGTON -- Although Americans are living longer than before, their life expectancies still lag behind those of other countries, a government report found.

For example, Japanese women age 65 could expect to live 3.7 years longer than American women of the same age, while Japanese men age 65 live 1.3 years longer than U.S. men, according to the report, which was issued Thursday by the National Institute on Aging.

The report, "Older Americans 2012: Key Indicators of Well-Being," tracks trends in those older than 65 in categories ranging from health to housing to economics.

The report also found that obesity rates continued to rise, and the condition persists as a major cause of premature death for older people. In 2009 to 2010, 38% of people 65 and older were obese. That's up from 1988 to 1994, when 22% were obese.

Other findings included:

• Death rates for heart disease and stroke declined by nearly 50% since 1981, but chronic lower respiratory disease increased by 57%.
• Hospice care use in the final 30 days of life jumped to 43% in 2009 from 19% in 1999.
• More older people are dying at home (24% in 2009 versus 15% in 1999) rather than in hospitals (32% in 2009 versus 49% in 1999).
• Women reported higher levels of arthritis than men (56% versus 45%, respectively), while men reported higher levels of heart disease (37% versus 26%).

In addition, more Americans 65 and older are enrolling in health maintenance organizations and other Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, and they also are spending more money out-of-pocket on healthcare, the report found. In 2009, 28% of Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in an MA program, up from 16% in 2005.

Out-of-pocket spending for health care services among the poor and near-poor elderly increased to 22% of income in 2009 -- up from 12% three decades ago.

"However, average healthcare costs did not increase further between 2006 and 2008, after adjusting for inflation," according to the study.

3 comments

Dr. Gregory E. Johnson, D. C.

08/20/12

I have witnessed more & more Dis- Ease in my 31 years of practice. More & more patients who are taking way too much medication and more & more patients are having serious side effects from the medications/surgeries/procedures that are being utilized in our, "Modern" high tech Medical Model. The US has one of the most costly healthcare systems in the world, according to, the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO, the United States spent more on healthcare per capita ($7,146), and more on healthcare as percentage of its GDP (15.2%), than any other nation in 2008. Medical debt is one of the leading causes of personal bankruptcies, yet lags behind other wealthy nations in such measures as Infant mortality and life expectancy. According to Wikipedia, In the United States life expectancy in 42nd in the world. My hope and prayer is that, people start focusing on "Staying Healthy", rather than being Sick..

joseph de luca

08/20/12

I concur with Varian Keller, it is likely life style. But in my case, stopping smoking some years ago after smoking since age 12 to age 45 was my decision not the government. Just as getting my weight down from 205 to it's present 140 was my decision. It's up to the government to inform us with nutrition labels etc, but it's up to us as individual to get off our butts and do what needs to be done. The government should be involved in better and cheaper health care, promoting a sustainable existence, interstate highways, air traffic control etc but to dictate our foods and exercise is an individual responsibility. Perhaps physicians could further help by being examples of good health as are mine which include marathon runners, triathletes, long distance cyclists and mountain bikers. As they have told me, "no excuses Joe, get off your ass, workout and eat healthy and organic wherever possible. If I can do it with a full-time practice, a family and volunteer work in the community so too can you". Sustainability is where it's at both in the environment and our lifestyles..

varian keller

08/19/12

I've spent a little time in urban and rural Japan and, like most other countries with greater longevity than the USA, and contrary to the tone of this article, their lifestyle not the economics of their health care system is the root of the differences noted in this article. Based on this the likes of the mayor of NYC would better serve us by not confining government control to our access to super-sized soft drinks and infant formula but rather target the US way of life in general (no doubt their goal anyway)..