Americans
living longer
Newswise — With the first baby
boomers entering their 60s, issues of life expectancy and quality of
life are more important than ever.
There’s plenty of good news for
the “abbies” (aging baby boomers): Disability rates are falling, and
research shows that older Americans are staying healthy for much
longer than ever before, says the Harvard Health Letter.
According to the latest figures,
average life expectancy in the United States is 77.6 years, compared
with 75.4 in 1990, reports the July issue of the Harvard Health
Letter. Furthermore, old age begets older age.
Today, a 65-year-old
American man can expect to live to 81.6; if he reaches the age of
85, he can expect to live to see 90. Women still outlive
men—although the gap is closing—but the same demographic pattern
holds. Old age adds to life expectancy.
However, compared with people in
other countries, Americans aren't doing so well. American males and
females rank 12th and 15th, respectively, in life expectancy at age
65.
The United States also lags when it comes to years spent in good
health. The Harvard Health Letter cites findings of a recent study
comparing the health of people ages 55–64 in England and the United
States.
Americans were found to be less healthy than their English
counterparts, with higher rates of cancer, diabetes, high blood
pressure, lung disease, and stroke.
