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Life expectancy on the rise 'despite obesity epidemic' Life expectancy on the rise 'despite obesity epidemic'
(about 4 hours later)
Life expectancy in the UK is on the rise, along with the rest of Europe, despite fears over the impact of obesity, a population expert has said.Life expectancy in the UK is on the rise, along with the rest of Europe, despite fears over the impact of obesity, a population expert has said.
Analysing trends from the past 40 years, Professor David Leon credited a decline in deaths from heart disease for the continued rise.Analysing trends from the past 40 years, Professor David Leon credited a decline in deaths from heart disease for the continued rise.
People in the UK are also living longer than those in the US, he says.People in the UK are also living longer than those in the US, he says.
His analysis is published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.His analysis is published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Professor Leon, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, points out that in the last five years most European countries have been going in a "positive direction" for the first time in decades.Professor Leon, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, points out that in the last five years most European countries have been going in a "positive direction" for the first time in decades.
Despite concern that health problems arising from obesity would affect life expectancy in high-income countries, such as the UK, there is no evidence of this to date.Despite concern that health problems arising from obesity would affect life expectancy in high-income countries, such as the UK, there is no evidence of this to date.
Professor Leon said that deaths from cardiovascular disease in the UK have seen, "some of the largest and most rapid falls of any Western European country, partly due to improvements in treatment as well as reductions in smoking and other risk factors."Professor Leon said that deaths from cardiovascular disease in the UK have seen, "some of the largest and most rapid falls of any Western European country, partly due to improvements in treatment as well as reductions in smoking and other risk factors."
But he admits that it may to be too soon to see the impact of increasing obesity rates.But he admits that it may to be too soon to see the impact of increasing obesity rates.
"We are yet to see the impact of a generation of people who have been obese from childhood through to adulthood. We can't predict how that will affect life expectancy figures in the future.""We are yet to see the impact of a generation of people who have been obese from childhood through to adulthood. We can't predict how that will affect life expectancy figures in the future."
"We are definitely seeing type-2 diabetes occurring more in teenagers due to obesity, but this is not immediately being translated into mortality rates.""We are definitely seeing type-2 diabetes occurring more in teenagers due to obesity, but this is not immediately being translated into mortality rates."
"This is because of decreased rates of cardiovascular disease and concerted efforts to reduce risk and modify weight," Professor Leon said."This is because of decreased rates of cardiovascular disease and concerted efforts to reduce risk and modify weight," Professor Leon said.
In 2007, the US was found to be at the same level for life expectancy as the lowest of any Western European country (Portugal for males and Denmark for females).In 2007, the US was found to be at the same level for life expectancy as the lowest of any Western European country (Portugal for males and Denmark for females).
Its life expectancy rate for women has been increasing at a much slower pace than Western Europe since the 1980s.Its life expectancy rate for women has been increasing at a much slower pace than Western Europe since the 1980s.
Life expectancy in the US was 78 years in 2007, compared with 80 years in the UK.Life expectancy in the US was 78 years in 2007, compared with 80 years in the UK.
Professor Leon writes: "This observation underlines that gross domestic product (GDP) and health care expenditure per capita are not good predictors of population health within high-income countries."Professor Leon writes: "This observation underlines that gross domestic product (GDP) and health care expenditure per capita are not good predictors of population health within high-income countries."
The latest figures from 2009 show that life expectancy in the UK is 82.6 years for women and 78.4 years for men.The latest figures from 2009 show that life expectancy in the UK is 82.6 years for women and 78.4 years for men.


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Suvarna,Yes perhaps, but the USA is far more ethnically diverse so there is some prima facie plausability to the notion, until you dig a little deeper. There are certainly some diseases that are far more prevalent in some societies than others, but these are often due to cultural and dietary habits rather than pure ethnicity. the increased life expectancy is a reflection of the improved medical therapies and interventions available on the nhs rather than a contradiction to the health risks associated with obesity. Surely we should be more interested in disease prevalence and primary prevention I.e loosing weight, to help stem obesity's drain on the nhs
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    • Re:93 I am afraid it is a white suburban myth that minorities drag down US Life ExpectancySuch myths are prevalent in the UK too as I said earlier my steroid-induced diabetes was blamed on my ethnicity rather than medical error. The current older generation are the baby boomers who, as we know, are probably the richest retirees in history. Life expectancy will likely decline in 20 years' time because later generations will have so little pension provision. It's fairly well established that you live much, much longer if you have a decent pension; no-one wants to last another 30 years if they can't even afford heating.
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    • KC Chiefs,I am afraid it is a white suburban myth that minorities drag down US Life Expectancy. Hispanic Americans actually live longer than White Americans. For a developed world country America (including white America) has an unusually low life expectancy.American private health care is very good, but private medical care is available here and in all the EU, I for one, on the fourth anniversary of my husband's death from cancer, would like to see less people dying from that disease. Years ago, you often heard of someone dying from a heart attack, but now, we hardly ever hear of that - it's always cancer. I am very pleased to hear that we are all living longer, as I am sure that advances in medicine have a huge part to play in that.
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    • To everyone who says - lets enjoy life and then drop dead - it often does not work like that. Strokes often leave a person alive but impaired - eg unable to speak or to balance or part paralysed and with full understanding of their condition. Narrow blood vessels to the brain can led to dementia (my father had this - very distressing and it lasted more than 4 years). Consider your loved ones. A table of life expectancies (with trends) in a representative sample of European countries would have been helpful, as would some indication of end-of-life morbidity: are we living longer but in ill health, or are we enjoying lives that are both longer and healthier? And to what extent are reductions in infant mortality still playing a part in rising overall expectancies?
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    • Re: I have contacted the MP and am supported! Thanks for your feedback!! Your genes are what counts, how old was your mum and dad when thy passed away, is a good indicator, you may extend life by keeping healthy, but not by much, so if you have some savings count how many years you have left divide it into that,and ENJOY
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