05/23/2014
Living Longer
The World Health Organization released its latest figures on life expectancy, which has risen to a record 73 years for a girl born in 2012 and 68 for a boy, following successes in fighting diseases and child mortality.
As populations age, someone has to pay for the increased services, pension plans and the like they will require, which is why I would include the topic in this particular column.
Men
1. Iceland 81.2 life expectancy at birth
2. Switzerland 80.7
3. Australia 80.5
4. Israel 80.2
5. Singapore 80.2
6. New Zealand 80.2
7. Italy 80.2
8. Japan 80.0
9. Sweden 80.0
10. Luxembourg 79.7
Women
1. Japan 87.0
2. Spain 85.1
3. Switzerland 85.1
4. Singapore 85.1
5. Italy 85.0
6. France 84.9
7. Australia 84.6
8. Republic of Korea 84.6
9. Luxembourg 84.1
10. Portugal 84.0
Others
Afghanistan...Men 58 Women 61
Canada...Men 80 Women 84
China...Men 74 Women 77
Haiti...Men 61 Women 64
India...Men 64 Women 68
Iran...Men 72 Women 76
Ireland...Men 79 Women 83
Mexico...Men 73 Women 79
Russia...Men 63 Women 75
United Kingdom...Men 79 Women 83
United States...Men 76 Women 81
Nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa have life expectancies of less than 55 for babies of both sexes.
Tidbits
--Between 2000 and 2012, measles deaths worldwide have been cut by almost 80% - from 562,000 to 122,000 deaths.
--The risk of a child dying before their fifth birthday is 8 times higher in the WHO African Region than a child in the WHO European Region.
--Nearly 800 women die every day due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.
--A boy born in 2012 in a high-income country can expect to live to 75.8 years – more than 15 years longer than a boy born in a low-income country (60.2 years). For girls, the difference is even more marked; a gap of 18.9 years separates life expectancy in high-income (82.0 years) and low-income countries (63.1 years)
--The top three causes of premature death are coronary (ischaemic) heart disease, lower respiratory infections (such as pneumonia) and stroke.
Source: who.int
Wall Street History will return in two weeks.
Brian Trumbore
