Despite being home to some of the world’s most dangerous animals, Australia has led English-speaking countries in life expectancy for the past three decades.
In contrast, the United States has consistently ranked last among high-income Anglophone countries since the early 1990s, according to a new study led by social scientists from Penn State University.
Published in BMJ Open, the study analyzed life expectancy trends in six countries: the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, using data from 1990 to 2019.
The researchers examined factors like sex, age, and causes of death, including cancers, drug- and alcohol-related deaths, firearms, and motor vehicle collisions. They also looked at regional differences within each country to understand geographical inequalities in life expectancy.
The findings showed that Australians enjoyed the longest life expectancy at birth throughout the study period. By 2019, Australian women lived nearly four years longer, and men five years longer, on average, than their American counterparts.
The Irish saw the largest gains, with men’s life expectancy increasing by about eight years and women’s by more than 6.5 years.
In stark contrast, American women had an average life expectancy of nearly 81.5 years, and men just under 76.5 years, marking the shortest among the countries studied.
One of the study’s key observations was the significant geographical inequalities in life expectancy within the United States.
For example, women and men in California and Hawaii had some of the highest life expectancies, averaging 83 to 83.9 years for women and 77.5 to 78.4 years for men.
Conversely, states in the American Southeast exhibited some of the lowest life expectancies, with women averaging 72.6 to 79.9 years and men averaging 69.3 to 74.4 years.
Jessica Ho, the study’s senior author and an associate professor of sociology and demography at Penn State, highlighted that one of the main reasons for America’s lower life expectancy is the higher mortality rate among younger people from preventable causes, such as drug overdoses, car accidents, and homicides.
These issues persist into midlife, with continued high rates of deaths related to drugs, alcohol, and cardiovascular diseases.
Ho explained that factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, high obesity rates, unhealthy diets, stress, and a history of smoking likely contribute to the higher cardiovascular disease mortality in the U.S.
In contrast, Australia has implemented several policies that have positively impacted life expectancy, particularly among younger adults.
These policies include reforms in gun laws, which have led to low levels of gun deaths and homicides, as well as lower levels of drug and alcohol use.
Additionally, Australia has shown better outcomes in managing chronic diseases, suggesting the influence of lifestyle choices, health behaviors, and effective healthcare.
Ho suggested that the U.S. could learn from Australia’s example by investing in public transit infrastructure, reducing the prevalence of large vehicles, and implementing more roundabouts to decrease traffic deaths.
Enhancing support for programs that address drug dependence and reducing barriers to treatment could help lower drug-related mortality.
Furthermore, a strong combination of public health initiatives, healthcare access, and community interventions could encourage healthier lifestyles and the use of preventive medicine, ultimately reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases.
Rachel Wilkie, a doctoral student at the University of Southern California, also contributed to this research.
The study underscores that Australia’s approach to public health and safety has led to a significant increase in life expectancy, offering a model that the United States could follow to improve its own outcomes and reduce geographic disparities in health.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about how ultra-processed foods and red meat influence your longevity, and why seafood may boost healthy aging.
For more information about wellness, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
The research findings can be found in BMJ Open.
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