logo
US life expectancy vs. the world in 2025: Where do Americans stand?

US life expectancy vs. the world in 2025: Where do Americans stand?

Time of India5 days ago
Walk into just about any American coffee shop these days, and odds are the conversation skips right from politics to TikTok trends to – you guessed it – the cost of healthcare, the outbreak of the day, or someone's complicated insurance story.
But lurking beneath all these headlines and gripes lies a stubborn, unshakable fact: in 2025, Americans simply don't live as long as citizens in dozens of other high-income countries.
If you're an average American baby born this year, you're expected to live about 78 years. That sounds fine, maybe even good to some ears, but step outside US borders even just over to Canada or across the United Kingdom and it's abundantly clear: Americans are living shorter lives than almost all their economic peers and, frankly, than millions of people in less wealthy parts of the world.
So, what's going on? Let's take a look into what the latest data tells us about American longevity—and why, for all the tech innovations and world-class medical centers dotting the landscape, life expectancy here just keeps stagnating.
How does
US life expectancy
measure up?
First things first: life expectancy is the average number of years a newborn can expect to live under current mortality rates. In the US, that number hit a recent low after COVID-19 but has since bounced back a bit.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
Still, it's not keeping pace with history—or with the rest of the developed world.
2023 US life expectancy: 78.4 years
Global Average (2025): 73.5 years
Ranking: 48th globally (and slipping)
Here's the kicker: the US is above the global average, but a few years below its 'peer' nations. Most of Western Europe, plus Japan, Australia, South Korea, and even some smaller nations like Monaco, enjoy life expectancies between 82 and 87 years.
Americans are on average living about 3–5 years less than their economic peers, and as much as 8 years less than the world leaders.
What the numbers really say
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes the latest stats for the US:
Both sexes: 78.4 years (2023 data)
Males: 75.8 years
Females: 81.1 years
By comparison, Canada, France, Japan, and even the UK all clock in well above the US average.
WHO (World Health Organization) data lines up: no matter which authority you check, the trend is the same.
America's rank in the longevity league
So where does that put the US? In 48th place (as per several reports) and, according to the latest forecasts by World Population Review, likely to drop even further down the list by 2050.
Other wealthy nations, meanwhile, continue to inch higher, sometimes gaining years while the US just creeps forward months at a time.
Peer nations growing faster: For example, Japan, Korea, Portugal, the UK, and Italy already clock in at 80+ years and counting.
US trend is stagnating: Some projections put the US at 80.4 years—in 2050. That's nearly a quarter-century just to gain a single year.
Why is the US lagging behind?
If you spent any time in a US health economics classroom, you might echo this refrain: Americans spend more—way more—on healthcare than anyone else, but live shorter lives.
Why?
Here's where things get sticky (and let's be real, infuriating). According to the CDC and public health research, several chronic and acute challenges conspire to keep US life expectancy low:
Cardiovascular disease and obesity: Rates here dwarf those in peer nations.
Diabetes: A chronic and costly epidemic.
"Diseases of despair": Suicide, alcoholism, and drug overdoses hit the US particularly hard.
Maternal and infant mortality: Above-average for a wealthy nation.
Motor vehicle fatalities: Still shockingly high.
Healthcare disparity: Insurance rates, cost barriers, and uneven healthcare access.
Socioeconomic inequality: Health outcomes dramatically vary by income, ZIP code, and racial group.
Americans are living shorter, sicker lives even as the country outspends rivals on everything from advanced surgeries to high-end drugs.
Comparing to the UK and peers: A stark gap
Let's pause and zero in on a particularly telling comparison: the United States vs.
the United Kingdom. Recent investigative reports by Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health deliver this sobering headline: Americans live years less than the Brits.
Leading causes of excess US deaths: Heart disease, drug overdoses, infant and maternal deaths
What really stands out isn't just the small year-by-year difference. It's the long-term trend: since the 1980s, America's trajectory has flatlined, while Europe trudges upward—even through its own crises.
Why?
Policy differences: Universal coverage, safety nets, and regenerative social programs in the UK and Europe often make healthier choices easier and provide fallback care when disaster strikes.
Public health investment: The UK spends less on care, but more on prevention and community wellness.
Digging into health habits and policy differences
If you're looking for 'silver bullet' explanations, the data won't cut you any slack. It's death by a thousand small problems, and they're entangled:
Diet: Appallingly high processed food consumption, sugar-sweetened beverages, and ultra-processed snacks.
Exercise: Sedentary lifestyles prevail, especially among kids and teens.
Addiction: A toxic brew of widespread opioid, meth, and alcohol abuse. Overdose rates have reached devastating levels.
Mental health: Underfunded and stigmatized, pushing more people into crisis and self-harm.
Healthcare Coverage: Insurance gaps, high out-of-pocket costs, and rural hospital closures remain endemic.
Environmental factors: Pockets of heavy pollution and 'food deserts.'
As the CDC points out, even American children today face a 1-in-5 shot at developing obesity before adulthood, foreshadowing future medical costs and mortality.
What would it take for America to catch up?
Public health experts and studies converge on a short list of must-dos:
Tackle chronic disease: Expand access to preventive screening, healthy foods, and physical activity.
Address the opioid crisis: Investment in mental health and addiction treatment.
Make healthcare universal and affordable: Reduce insurance and cost barriers.
Maternal and infant health: More prenatal care, family leave, and education.
Tackle poverty and inequality: Social safety nets, fair wages, and safer housing.
Without bolder national action—and strong local follow-through—these gains will remain elusive.
America's health gap is no longer a technical problem; it's a political, social, and moral one. Other countries have shown it's fixable, but it takes serious willpower and the humility to learn from others.
The question for the next generation, then, is simple: Will we keep coasting along on what's left of the old American advantage, or finally tackle the causes behind our shorter lives? For now, the world's watching and, to tell the truth, living longer.
References:
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
CDC – Life Expectancy Data Briefs
WHO Data: United States
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Suicides in educational institutions: SC issues pan-India guidelines
Suicides in educational institutions: SC issues pan-India guidelines

News18

time33 minutes ago

  • News18

Suicides in educational institutions: SC issues pan-India guidelines

New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) Outlining the rise in suicides and mental health issues among students in educational institutions, the Supreme Court on Friday issued pan-India guidelines to combat the problem. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said there remained a 'legislative and regulatory vacuum" in the country with respect to a unified, enforceable framework for suicide prevention of students in educational institutions, coaching centres, and student-centric environments. While issuing 15 guidelines, the bench said the measures should remain in force and binding, until such time as appropriate legislation or regulatory frameworks were enacted by the competent authority. All educational institutions were directed to adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing cues from the 'Ummeed" draft guidelines, the 'Manodarpan" initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. 'This policy shall be reviewed and updated annually and made publicly accessible on institutional websites and notice boards of the institutes," the bench said. The top court highlighted Centre's preventive steps to mitigate the situation, with 'Ummeed" (understand, motivate, manage, empathise, empower, and develop) draft guidelines — meant to prevent school student suicides — released by the Ministry of Education in 2023. For a broader reach, the court said, the Ministry of Education launched 'Manodarpan", mental health and well-being of students during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The verdict came on an appeal against an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, rejecting the plea to transfer the investigation over the unnatural death of a 17-year-old National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test aspirant, preparing in Vishakhapatnam, to the CBI. Passing a slew of guidelines, the bench said all educational institutions with 100 or more enrolled students should either appoint or engage at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist, or social worker with demonstrable training in child and adolescent mental health. 'Institutions with fewer students shall establish formal referral linkages with external mental health professionals," the verdict said. The bench continued, 'All residential-based institutions shall install tamper-proof ceiling fans or equivalent safety devices, and shall restrict access to rooftops, balconies, and other high-risk areas, in order to deter impulsive acts of self-harm." All educational institutions, particularly coaching institutes or centres, were asked to refrain from segregating students' batches on the basis of academic performance, public shaming, or assignment of academic targets disproportionate to their capacities. 'All educational institutions shall establish robust, confidential, and accessible mechanisms for the reporting, redressal, and prevention of incidents involving sexual assault, harassment, ragging, and bullying on the basis of caste, class, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or ethnicity," the order said. The bench stressed on the need for zero tolerance when it came to retaliatory actions against complainants or whistle-blowers. In all such cases, immediate referral to trained mental health professionals must be ensured, and the student's safety, physical and psychological, should be prioritised, it said. 'Failure to take timely or adequate action in such cases, especially where such neglect contributes to a student's self-harm or suicide, shall be treated as institutional culpability, making the administration liable to regulatory and legal consequences," the bench added. All coaching hubs, including Jaipur, Kota, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai, were directed to implement heightened mental health protection and preventive measures. The guidelines would apply to all educational institutions, including public and private schools, colleges, universities, training centres, coaching institutes, residential academies and hostels, irrespective of their affiliation. The top court in a separate case took cognisance of suicides in educational institutions and directed the constitution of a National Task Force on mental health concerns of students and prevention of suicides in higher educational institutions. 'We may clarify that these guidelines are not in supersession but in parallel to the ongoing work of the National Task Force on mental health concerns of students and are being issued to provide an interim protective architecture in the interregnum," the bench clarified. All states and union territories, as far as practicable, were directed to notify rules within two months mandating registration, student protection norms, and grievance redressal mechanisms for all private coaching centres. The bench directed the Centre to file a compliance affidavit before it within 90 days detailing the steps taken to implement these guidelines and the monitoring systems put in place. It posted the matter for October 27 for receiving the compliance report. Dealing with the unnatural death case, the bench directed that the investigation shall be transferred to the CBI. The CBI director was ordered to ensure immediate registration of case and the investigation being assigned to a team under the supervision of jurisdictional CBI superintendent. PTI ABA ABA AMK AMK view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 18:15 IST News agency-feeds Suicides in educational institutions: SC issues pan-India guidelines Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Hidden $1000 fee at your doctor's office? Here's the sneaky charge Americans just found out about
Hidden $1000 fee at your doctor's office? Here's the sneaky charge Americans just found out about

Time of India

time39 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Hidden $1000 fee at your doctor's office? Here's the sneaky charge Americans just found out about

Americans have their heads out of the sand as they discover a strange extra fee on their doctor bills. Many people in the U.S. have found surprise charges after simple visits to the doctor. These charges are called 'facility fees' or 'outpatient hospital services.' They are often not explained clearly and can cost from hundreds to even $1,000 depending on the type of visit, as per the NBC News. A family in Minnesota was shocked by a $423 charge. They visited their doctor for their daughter's stomach pain. The 15-minute visit cost $201, but a separate fee of $423 was added for 'outpatient hospital services.' Another man in Ohio paid $645 in extra charges. He visited an ear, nose, and throat specialist and got charged $645 as a 'facility fee', as per the The Wall Street Journal. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Operations Management MBA Project Management Others Product Management CXO Data Science Cybersecurity Design Thinking Public Policy Technology healthcare MCA Finance Management others Leadership Digital Marketing Data Science Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics PGDM Degree Skills you'll gain: Quality Management & Lean Six Sigma Analytical Tools Supply Chain Management & Strategies Service Operations Management Duration: 10 Months IIM Lucknow IIML Executive Programme in Strategic Operations Management & Supply Chain Analytics Starts on Jan 27, 2024 Get Details ALSO READ: Intel to axe 24,000 jobs — is your state or country on the layoff list? Here's who's affected most by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo One patient paid as much as $1,000 just in added fees. This happened during a urology appointment, which already had its own doctor fee. Cleveland Clinic in Florida is also under fire for charging these fees. Patients were charged $95 to $174 just in facility fees for basic visits like family medicine or a specialist consultation, as per The Sun report. Many patients feel shocked and confused One patient, Brandy Macaluso-Owens, said the charge made her heart drop. She visited a gastroenterologist in Port St. Lucie, Florida, for 15 minutes and later received a $174 bill from Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic responded by saying that the fees are legal and necessary. They said these charges follow government rules and help fund outpatient clinics and 24/7 emergency care, as per the report by NBC News. Live Events These types of fees are becoming more common in the U.S. Hospitals are hiring more doctors, and some insurance plans now make patients pay more upfront before full coverage starts. There are no laws controlling how high these fees can be. Christine Monahan from Georgetown University said most states don't have limits, so hospitals can charge whatever amount they want. Who should pay these extra fees? Hospitals and insurance companies are fighting over who should pay. The American Hospital Association says insurance should cover it. But insurance companies argue these fees don't add any real value to care. What should you do if you can't afford the charge? Patricia Kelmar from the US Public Interest Research Group says to call your doctor's office — sometimes they remove the fee. If not, call your insurance company for help or discounts, as stated by NBC News report. ALSO READ: Jazz world mourns: Chuck Mangione dies at 84 — here's what we know about his final days Surprise fees aren't only in hospitals — restaurants have them too. A breakfast chain had added a 50-cent fee to a menu item, then removed it after complaints. Other restaurants are adding things like 'living wage' fees of 18%, causing some customers to boycott, according to the reports. FAQs Q1. What is a facility fee on a doctor bill? A facility fee is an extra charge some hospitals add for using their clinic space during a doctor visit, even if the visit is short. Q2. Why are patients being charged $1,000 or more after doctor visits? Some hospitals add high 'outpatient' or 'facility' fees, which are not regulated and can vary based on the location or type of care.

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble Union Minister, to Address Vimarsh, India's Premiere Conclave on Science and Research to Encourage Collaboration
Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble Union Minister, to Address Vimarsh, India's Premiere Conclave on Science and Research to Encourage Collaboration

The Wire

timean hour ago

  • The Wire

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble Union Minister, to Address Vimarsh, India's Premiere Conclave on Science and Research to Encourage Collaboration

At Vimarsh, he will meet leading scientists, innovators, start-ups, and industry leaders tackling India's urgent challenges in science and biomedical research New Delhi, Delhi, India (NewsVoir) India's research and development (R&D) sector is experiencing a period of significant growth, buoyed by the government's increasing focus and strategic initiatives to foster a robust ecosystem for scientific and biomedical innovation. While challenges persist, particularly in mobilizing research from lab to market and ensuring consistent private sector engagement, the commitment to long-term R&D is stronger than ever. Recognizing the need to further cultivate dedicated motivators, engaged researchers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs, and to strengthen collaborative frameworks, the i3 Summit aims to build upon these foundational efforts. As a sincere and proactive endeavor to further this progress, India's leading catalyst, Blockchain For Impact (BFI) announces the inaugural edition of India's conclave on science and biomedical innovation, the i3 Summit – Vimarsh. To be addressed by Hon'ble Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India, as the Chief Guest, and inaugurated by Padma Shri Dr. Balram Bhargava, Vimarsh will empower scientists and entrepreneurs to develop new ideas, connect with industry leaders and peers, and build pioneering solutions. Padma Shri Dr. Balram Bhargava is renowned for his immense contributions, including the development of indigenous COVAXIN vaccine during the pandemic, Padma Shri Dr Balram Bhargava said, "The i3 Summit – Vimarsh represents a vital confluence for India's brightest minds. It is through platforms such as this, where collective intellect and shared purpose converge, that we will accelerate our nation's progress in medical research and innovation, delivering impactful solutions for all." Sandeep Nailwal, Philanthropist & Founder, Blockchain for Impact (BFI), and Co-founder & CEO of the Polygon Foundation said, "I am deeply passionate about advancing science and biomedical innovation in India, to solve critical healthcare issues. This conclave is my sincere effort to encourage collaboration where the brightest scientific minds can come together and learn from each other. I am deeply committed to promoting ease of scientific research and biomedical innovation in India." Blockchain For Impact (BFI) Blockchain For Impact (BFI) was set up during the second wave of the COVID pandemic in India. As the world's most transparent healthcare fund, BFI initially worked towards strengthening the Indian healthcare system. However, after the COVID wave, the focus shifted towards fostering research and innovation. BFI aims to utilize and leverage the skills, commitment, and technology in the country to address current challenges and future gaps. Geared around health, BFI-BIOME Virtual Network has been established with the aim to bring institutes, incubators, research networks, medical sector and companies under one umbrella to foster collaboration in translational biomedical research. With a commitment to R&D in India, the BFI-BIOME Virtual Network Program is bringing together relevant stakeholders to discuss, identify, collaborate and innovate in the biomedical sector and expedite development of therapies, diagnostics, medical devices and other healthcare products. BFI is steadfast in its mission to enhance the well-being of marginalized communities across diverse public healthcare priorities. The initiative aspires to become a comprehensive support system, shaping the future of Indian healthcare with innovation and equity at its core. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store