Americans Are Living Longer, Despite Also Getting Fatter
It seems that all of the junk food that we’ve been eating might not be killing us off as quickly as some might think.
In fact, according to the annual state of the union’s health report, which was released this week by the Center for Disease Control, even though the American population is getting fatter, we are still longer living longer.
The report details the relation between our income and education, life expectancy, disease and risk factors health care costs and our overall health.
Here are some points of interest from the study:
- We are living longer. Since 19080, men’s life expectancy rose from 70 to 76, while women’s increased from 77 to 81.
- Even though heart disease is the most common killer between men and women, the number of deaths from heart disease dropped 32%.
- Caner deaths are down 15% for men and 11%for women.
- Deaths by stroke are down nearly a third for both men and women.
- Nearly 50% of adults living with high blood pressure don’t have it under control, which is surprisingly lower than it was in the 1990’s.
- Obesity has gone up in every age demographic.
- 20% of school age children are now obese.
- Only half of adults over the age of 18 years old meet federal physical activity recommendations.
- More adults are having cancer screening than 10 years ago.
- Drug overdose deaths have nearly doubled in the last decade.
- Nearly a third of money spent on heath care was spent on hospitals.
- Prescription drug costs have more than doubled over the last decade.
- Employees receiving health insurance from their employer decreased 10%.
- Seventeen percent of American adults to not receive timely health care due to cost.
[WEB MD]