Science - The rapid increases in life expectancy seen in the 20th century have slowed significantly, according to a new analysis published in the journal Nature. The Guardian reports:
According to the study, children born recently in regions with the
oldest people are far from likely to become centenarians. At best, the
researchers predict 15% of females and 5% of males in the oldest-living
areas will reach 100 this century. "If you're planning for retirement,
it's probably not a good idea to assume you're going to make it to 100,"
said Jay Olshansky, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the
University of Illinois at Chicago. "You'd probably have to work for at
least 10 years longer than you'd think. And you want to enjoy the last
phase of your life, you don't necessarily want to spend it working to
save for time you're not going to experience."
Advances in public health and medicine sparked a longevity revolution in the 20th century. In the previous 2,000 years, life expectancy crept up, on average, one year every century or two. In the 20th century, average life expectancy rocketed, with people gaining an extra three years every decade.
Medical Express - A new study finds persistent loneliness taking a toll on aging brains and significantly raising a person's odds for dementia. The research tracked self-reports of loneliness and the neurological health of more than 600,000 people worldwide. The study found loneliness was linked to a 31% rise in the likelihood that a person would go on to develop any form of dementia. Loneliness also raised the chances of cognitive impairment in people by 15%. According to study co-author Dr. Páraic Ó Súilleabháin, of the University of Limerick, in Ireland, "These are very important findings and indicate that loneliness is a critically important risk factor in the future development of dementia."
Axios - Overdose deaths are down, life expectancy is up, the odds of surviving cancer are improving, and we're even losing weight.... By a few key measures, Americans are getting healthier.
- Breakthrough therapies and more preventive care are playing a part. So are shifting attitudes on drinking and drugs, especially among Gen Z.
- The obesity rate has stopped climbing for the first time in a decade, just as weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic are becoming the rage.
Reality check: Americans still live shorter lives and experience more sickness than people in other high-income countries. The odds of surviving a health crisis are especially bad if you're poor or an ethnic or racial minority.
Life expectancy is trending upward, one of several data points that indicate public health is rebounding since the pandemic.
- Life expectancy increased to 77.5 in 2022, up from 76.4 in 2021 though below the pre-pandemic rate of 78.8 in 2019....
- Death rates fell for all age groups 15 and older, though infant mortality increased.
- COVID fell from the third to fourth leading cause of death in 2022, trailing heart disease, cancer and unintentional injuries.
The Week -The pharmacy industry is in crisis. That's especially true at CVS, where layoffs are piling on top of layoffs — and the future of the company is in question. CVS Health announced this month that it is laying off 2,000 workers, CNN said, as part of an effort to "slash costs" across the company. That's on top of the 5,000 layoffs it announced last year, and after the company closed around 900 stores in recent years. CVS and other drug store chains are "struggling" due to falling reimbursement rates for prescription drugs, CNN said. "Our industry faces continued disruption, regulatory pressures and evolving consumer needs and expectations," said a company spokesperson.
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