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Food and Health Fact #90
Fact #90: U.S. life expectancy and U.S. health
By Matthew Rees
Food and Health Fact #87: U.S. life expectancy and U.S. health
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This week's "food for thought" excerpt comes from The Future of Nutrition (2020), by T. Colin Campbell.
"[U.S.] life expectancy did improve up until 2015. Surely that's a sign of progress, right? Yes and no. Some may be surprised to know that our increasing life expectancy from the '60s until recently is not due to improved health as much as improved strategies for responding to disease events. More and more people suffering from cancer, stroke, obesity, and diabetes are able to live longer with their diseases than before. Improved survival rates have been equally significant for those who suffer heart attacks. Indeed, about 60 percent of our increase in total life expectancy since 1960 can be attributed to improved rapid response in heart disease alone. Yet our overall health has not improved significantly during this time. "
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