A new study published in JAMA Network Open has found that the gap between America’s lifespan and healthy life expectancy has grown significantly over the past two decades, with the US standing out for its years of suffering. By 2019, Americans had a lifespan-healthspan gap of 12.4 years, the largest among 183 countries surveyed.
The US also holds the top spot in terms of noncommunicable disease burden, with significant rates of obesity and multiple chronic conditions. This is reflected in other poor health outcomes, such as short life expectancy at birth, high rates of avoidable deaths, newborn deaths, and maternal deaths.
Despite spending more on healthcare than any other high-income country, the US’s subpar healthcare system continues to be a major contributor to its poor health statistics. The Commonwealth Fund analysis found that the US has the highest rate of adults with multiple chronic conditions and obesity among high-income countries.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/health/2024/12/americans-are-living-longer-but-most-of-the-extra-time-is-spent-being-sick