‘There’s something terribly wrong’: Americans are dying young at alarming rates

[Rasulis]

‘There’s something terribly wrong’: Americans are dying young at alarming rates

Death rates from suicide, drug overdoses, liver disease and dozens of other causes have been rising over the past decade for young and middle-aged adults, driving down overall life expectancy in the United States for three consecutive years, according to a strikingly bleak study published Tuesday that looked at the past six decades of mortality data.

The report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was immediately hailed by outside researchers for its comprehensive treatment of a still-enigmatic trend: the reversal of historical patterns in longevity.

Despite spending more on health care than any other country, the United States has seen increasing mortality and falling life expectancy for people ages 25 to 64, who should be in the prime of their lives, while other wealthy nations have generally experienced continued progress in extending longevity. Although earlier research emphasized rising mortality among non-Hispanic whites, the broad trend detailed in this study cuts across gender, racial and ethnic lines. By age group, the highest relative jump in death rates from 2010 to 2017 — 29 percent — has been among people ages 25 to 34.

The findings are sure to fuel political debate about causes and potential solutions, because the geography of rising death rates overlaps to a significant extent with states and regions that are hotly contested in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.

About a third of the estimated 33,000 “excess deaths” that the study says occurred since 2010 were in just four states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Indiana — the first two of which are critical swing states in presidential elections. The state with the biggest percentage rise in death rates among working-age people in this decade — 23.3 percent — is New Hampshire, the first primary state.

Out of 50 states + DC, California is the only state where the mid-life mortality rate actually decreased. The data from Wyoming is way too scattered. The trendline is rather forced.





Here is the study itself - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...tm_term=112619.

The report did not seem to pinpoint a single factor for the cause of the increase in mortality rate.

The report reveals a broad erosion in health, with no single “smoking gun,” said Ellen Meara, a professor at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice.

Likely the increase in mortality rate is due to the combination of several factors.

Princeton professors Anne Case and Angus Deaton, whose much-publicized report in 2015 highlighted the death rates in middle-aged whites, published a paper in 2017 pointing to a widening gap in health associated with levels of education, a trend dating to the 1970s. Case told reporters their research showed a “sea of despair” in the United States among people with only a high school diploma or less. She declined to comment on the new report.

Obesity is a significant part of the story. The average woman in America today weighs as much as the average man half a century ago, and men now weigh about 30 pounds more. Most people in the United States are overweight — an estimated 71.6 percent of the population ages 20 and older, according to the CDC. That figure includes the 39.8 percent who are obese, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher in adults (18.5 to 25 is the normal range). Obesity is also rising in children; nearly 19 percent of the population ages 2 to 19 is obese.

[nonameelf]

It's almost like we had a major economic recession and then things just never got better for the working class. Meanwhile, the rich barely felt it at all, got massive amounts of money from the government, and then continued to pillage the working class.

I'm at a complete loss for why there'd be an increase in suicide and drug/alcohol abuse among the working class.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Yep working as intended, human beings voting against their own interest, voting against better healthcare while insurance premiums still going up anyways. The chance to curb it and provide access to better health was rejected, it's going to get worse.

Some only thought it was just mental health support was terrible.

[PACOX]

It's almost like we had a major economic recession and then things just never got better for the working class. Meanwhile, the reach barely felt it at all, got massive amounts of money from the government, and then continued to pillage the working class.

I'm at a complete loss for why there'd be an increase in suicide and drug/alcohol abuse among the working class.

I heard the economy was doing great though, even huge!

Oh and healthcare, turns out TOO many have healthcare.

/s

People need to stop voting against their interests.

[Muajin76]

‘There’s something terribly wrong’: Americans are dying young at alarming rates





Out of 50 states + DC, California is the only state where the mid-life mortality rate actually decreased. The data from Wyoming is way too scattered. The trendline is rather forced.





Here is the study itself - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...tm_term=112619.

The report did not seem to pinpoint a single factor for the cause of the increase in mortality rate.



Likely the increase in mortality rate is due to the combination of several factors.

We are??
People die..this is the circle of life. One would think that this happens in every country, not just the US.

[Gestopft]

People need to stop voting against their interests.

No, no. Clearly, people getting to choose their gender is more damaging to society than people actually killing themselves.

(/s if it wasn't clear)

[smityx]

Yep working as intended, human beings voting against their own interest, voting against better healthcare while insurance premiums still going up anyways. The chance to curb it and provide access to better health was rejected, it's going to get worse.

Some only thought it was just mental health support was terrible.

Can't let those "others" get free money. Now if you'll excuse me i need to go pick up my monthly check.

[XDurionX]

It's almost as if we've been telling you guys for decades you need better (single payer) health care and less guns.

[Howel]

We are??
People die..this is the circle of life. One would think that this happens in every country, not just the US.

No, it is fairly unique to the US; basically all other western countries have seen declines in the same period.

[d00mGuArD]

Let's hope they can pinpoint the source of this and improve the things

(the research says they did not pinpoint the problem, but the experts of MMO-C apparently did!)

The quote at the end seems to indicate obesity is a major factor in addition to suicide and drugs and liver disease.

As far as the liver disease is concerned, in my non-expert opinion, it is because of sugar over-consumption. Liver can only process a small amount of sugar per day, and most people consume a lot more than that, and end up stressing it a lot.

We can work against obesity and against drugs for start

[Omega10]

Let's hope they can pinpoint the source of this and improve the things

(the research says they did not pinpoint the problem, but the experts of MMO-C apparently did!)

The quote at the end seems to indicate obesity is a major factor in addition to suicide and drugs and liver disease.

As far as the liver disease is concerned, in my non-expert opinion, it is because of sugar over-consumption. Liver can only process a small amount of sugar per day, and most people consume a lot more than that, and end up stressing it a lot.

We can work against obesity and against drugs for start

Obesity: Fighting Obesity means going up against the sugar industry, the weight loss industry, and the health care industry.
Drugs: Most of the drug overdoses these days are legal drugs dispensed by health care industry. The health care industry worked hard to get people in states such as West Virginia addicted to these drugs. They will not relinquish their hard earned profits easily.

So yeah there are solutions. But getting anything with a decent chance of success implemented is not easy.

[XangXu]

Surely this couldn’t have anything to do with American’s “Fuck you, it’s everyone for themselves” attitude.

That would be crazy!

[JohnBrown1917]

Its called "capitalism".

[telygroar]

We are??
People die..this is the circle of life. One would think that this happens in every country, not just the US.

Yeah, only in US, and perhaps japan but for others reasons...

[Draco-Onis]

Obesity: Fighting Obesity means going up against the sugar industry, the weight loss industry, and the health care industry.
Drugs: Most of the drug overdoses these days are legal drugs dispensed by health care industry. The health care industry worked hard to get people in states such as West Virginia addicted to these drugs. They will not relinquish their hard earned profits easily.

So yeah there are solutions. But getting anything with a decent chance of success implemented is not easy.

The only way to get any of these things done is to get money out of politics there is simply no way any type of reform will pass congress since both parties are in their pockets.

[Ghostpanther]

From the article...."Death rates from suicide, drug overdoses, liver disease " I know Ohio has had a opioid epidemic. And taking some drugs can destroy the liver. Of course suicide can be caused by a variety of reasons.

[Corvus]

Its called "capitalism".

And here was me thinking that all the long living countries in the world were capitalistic.

Oh wait, they are.

[XangXu]

From the article...."Death rates from suicide, drug overdoses, liver disease " I know Ohio has had a opioid epidemic. And taking some drugs can destroy the liver. Of course suicide can be caused by a variety of reasons.

You’re not going to address the alcohol abuse problem in America? You want to point the finger at drug overdose? Yes that’s s problem but the alcohol addiction is out of control there. I mean it has to be. I mean the beer flows like water there.

- - - Updated - - -

And here was me thinking that all the long living countries in the world were capitalistic.

Oh wait, they are.

Except it isn’t the rich people who are dying...

[Sunseeker]

It's almost like we had a major economic recession and then things just never got better for the working class. Meanwhile, the rich barely felt it at all, got massive amounts of money from the government, and then continued to pillage the working class.

I'm at a complete loss for why there'd be an increase in suicide and drug/alcohol abuse among the working class.

This guy gets it.

[Dug]

Yeah but there's like a million new menial jobs paying $15/hr so #winning