Main content

Why is life expectancy falling in the USA?

Why is average life expectancy falling so quickly in America? We crunch the numbers.

The average life expectancy of Americans is shrinking at an alarming rate.

Between 2019 and 2021, a staggering 2.7 years has been shaved off, leaving the revised figure at 76.1 years - the lowest it’s been in more than two decades.

It also sees the U.S. rank 46th in the global life expectancy charts, behind Estonia and just a nose ahead of Panama.

Paul Connolly is joined by John Burn Murdoch, Mary Pat Campbell and Dr Nick Mark to discuss why, on average, citizens of the world’s richest country are dying so young.

Presenter / Producer: Paul Connolly
Researcher: Octavia Woodward
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot
Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

(Stethoscope with heartbeat graphic. Credit: Jonathan Kitchen/ Getty images)

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Sun 7 May 2023 23:50GMT
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

More episodes

Previous

How much is the Coronation crown worth?

Next

Do 94% of marriages in Portugal really end in divorce?

See all episodes from More or Less

Broadcasts

  • Sat 6 May 2023 04:50GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
  • Sun 7 May 2023 08:50GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service West and Central Africa
  • Sun 7 May 2023 10:50GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
  • Sun 7 May 2023 22:50GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Sun 7 May 2023 23:50GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

Download this programme

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.