US Near Bottom In Life Expectancy In Developed World 1063
Hugh Pickens writes "Louise Radnofsky reports that a study by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine has found U.S. life expectancy ranks near the bottom of 17 affluent countries. The U.S. is at or near the bottom in nine key areas of health: infant mortality and low birth weight; injuries and homicides; teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections; prevalence of HIV and AIDS; drug-related deaths; obesity and diabetes; heart disease; chronic lung disease; and disability. Americans fare worse than people in other countries even when the analysis is limited to non-Hispanic whites and people with relatively high incomes and health insurance, nonsmokers, or people who are not obese. The report notes that average life expectancy for American men, at 75.6 years, was the lowest among the 17 countries and almost four years shorter than for Switzerland, the best-performing nation. American women's average life expectancy is 80.8 years, the second-lowest among the countries and five years shorter than Japan's, which had the highest expectancy. 'The [U.S.] health disadvantage is pervasive — it affects all age groups up to age 75 and is observed for multiple diseases, biological and behavioral risk factors, and injuries,' say the report's authors. The authors offered a range of possible explanations for Americans' worse health and mortality, including social inequality, limited availability of contraception for teenagers, community designs that discourage physical activity such as walking, air pollution as well as individual behaviors such as high calorie consumption. The report's authors were particularly critical of the availability of guns. 'One behavior that probably explains the excess lethality of violence and unintentional injuries in the United States is the widespread possession of firearms and the common practice of storing them (often unlocked) at home,' reads the report. 'The statistics are dramatic.'"
Let the denial begin... (Score:1, Funny)
Guns are safe, only insane people kill people.
Did I miss anything out?
Re:Yeah, but we're very productive (Score:2, Funny)
For fucks sake, read the fucking summary:
That's so radical, it just might work!
Re:But the U.S. is still #1 in the world! (Score:5, Funny)
#15 More pornography is created in the United States than anywhere else on the entire globe. Eighty nine percent is made in the U.S.A. and only 11 percent is made in the rest of the world.
So it's not all bad news!
This must be down to the (Score:4, Funny)
Re:30,000 killed by firearms, 31,000 by poisoning (Score:5, Funny)
I care if I lose my life, not by what mechanism.
Seriously? I'd much rather be killed by rifle head-shot or morphine overdose than, say, stuffed into a pizza oven or eaten alive by rats.
You are the exception, not the rule (Score:4, Funny)
Most US companies have eliminated carryover of vacation time/PTO. Most companies no longer have the concept of sick time. Your situation is not the norm.
Re:inequality (Score:5, Funny)
Ever met a pregnant teenager? I have; They tend to be a bit... emotionally unstable.
And easy lays.
Re:Well... (Score:5, Funny)
As some one who has actual driven for and got change made min the government, it more appropriate to say:
You are a lazy SOB who would rather make false accusations then actual expend any energy trying to actually create change.
Re:Infant Mortality Rates (Score:4, Funny)
It's already been pointed out that the reason why the United States has "high" infant mortality is that we count ALL live births as a live birth
Hell, some Americans count every fertilized ovum as a live birth. :-)
Re:inequality (Score:4, Funny)
And if the UK were split into constituent parts, no US state is likely to be worse than Scotland for general health and life expectancy.
That's nothing. North Korea is even worse!
Re:Well... (Score:5, Funny)
My local store happens to be a Super Walmart. Based upon your shopping advice, my grocery list, going counterclockwise, is:
Drugs
Barbeque Grill
Hunting Equipment
Electronics
Dog Food
Milk
Vegetables
I would definitely enjoy eating meals at your house...about half the time.
Re:Well... (Score:4, Funny)
Easy way around this...next time in the grocery store, show ONLY around the outside edges of the store...where you buy fresh vegetables, meat, dairy....
MMM. Tasty stuff on the outside, a hole in the middle. Reminds me of a donut.
MMM. Donuts.
Re:Switzerland (Score:5, Funny)
You know what else they have in countries with lots of guns and low gun crime? National health, a minimum wage two or more times ours, an education system which is intended to educate rather than to indoctrinate, and greater equality of wealth. Focusing on storage requirements is rearranging deck chairs on the titanic.
In other words... other countries have happier, healthier, more comfortable citizens with less stress and less desperation--thus less state-of-mind to kill each other?
No, SURELY you must be wrong. ALL of our gun problems are because of violence in video games, movies, and the availability of scary-looking assault rifle (because assault rifles kill more people every year than 9mm pistols, you know!). Progressive cities like NYC, Chicago, and Washingon DC have extremely strict gun laws; they are bastions of peace and prosperity!
Re:Well... (Score:4, Funny)
Admittedly it's a bit lacking in some food groups, but you could use the hunting equipment and barbeque grill to fill in the gaps.