U.S. Life Expectancy Growth Lags Behind Peers

The United States is projected to experience only a modest increase in life expectancy from 78.3 years in 2022 to 80.4 years by 2050, a growth rate that falls behind many high-income and some middle-income countries. This slow progress is attributed to rising obesity rates and associated chronic diseases, as well as other health risk factors like smoking and drug use. The U.S. is expected to drop in global life expectancy rankings from 49th in 2022 to 66th by 2050. Moreover, the gap between male and female life expectancy is expected to narrow, with women's health outcomes deteriorating more rapidly. The U.S. also lags in healthy life expectancy, forecasted to decline significantly in global rankings. Researchers emphasize the need for urgent policy changes to address these health challenges, which are further exacerbated by preventable causes such as cardiovascular disease and firearm-related deaths.