Smoking, Obesity Slowing U.S. Life Expectancy Gains: Report

[xg4bx]

Longevity isn't increasing as fast in the United States as it is in other developed countries, says a new report that points a finger at high rates of smoking and obesity

"We determined the most likely source of our shortfall is cigarette smoking, particularly the heavy amount of smoking done by American women," he said.

Fifty years ago more Americans smoked than Europeans and Japanese, and this difference still affects life expectancy today. A similar effect from smoking is seen in shortened lifespans in Denmark and the Netherlands, according to the report.

The effects of smoking on mortality rates take up to 30 years to be seen, so life expectancy for U.S. men will probably improve in coming decades because fewer men have been smoking over the last 20 years, the report says.

Among women, whose smoking habits peaked later than men's, lifespan increases will likely be slow during the next decade.


Smoking, Obesity Slowing U.S. Life Expectancy Gains: Report - Yahoo! News

well if you're in new york, may as well light up. :/

 

[cappadoc]

Ok, this sounds bad, but who says longevity should be our goal?
I have a lot of patients in their 90's. I'll say this, I hope not to make it that far.
Don't get me wrong, I don't support restricting health care to the aged. But watching what they deal with on a daily basis from the standpoint of infirmity, I'll pass.
Given MY choice, I'd like to go to bed sometime in my 60's or 70's and not wake up again.

 

[MoonRose]

Ok, this sounds bad, but who says longevity should be our goal?
I have a lot of patients in their 90's. I'll say this, I hope not to make it that far.
Don't get me wrong, I don't support restricting health care to the aged. But watching what they deal with on a daily basis from the standpoint of infirmity, I'll pass.
Given MY choice, I'd like to go to bed sometime in my 60's or 70's and not wake up again.

You and me both. Having spent 15 years working in nursing homes and seeing the number of elderly being kept alive with the use of feeding tubes even though they were at the point of no longer being able to speak, interact with family and having to rely on someone else for every bit of their personal care, I know I don't want that. My husband and I both are in agreement on that one and our kids have been made very aware of our wishes not to be kept alive when we reach that point. No feeding tubes for us or heroic measures to keep us alive once we reach the point where there is no longer any quality of life left for us.

 

[Exylos]

after my time as a ER nurse both in the US and in Germany, I would rather not get to the 90's. I see the elderly brought in for everything under the sun, and I'll pass on that greatness of age thanks.

 

[jj2]

Restricting health care is now the way the government is going with the new health care. One could do everything that is right and get some disease, or need an expensive surgery, and they'd say it's not worth the money to keep you alive for ten more years.
I've long believed government wants you healthy during your productive years and then they just want you dead and out of their hair.

 

[MoonRose]

Well of course the government really doesn't want any of us to live much past retirement age because if we do then they don't get to continue "stealing" I mean borrowing the money that is supposed to be in the SS fund that is supposed to be used for payments to our seniors.

 

[rothenbj]

Ok, this sounds bad, but who says longevity should be our goal?
I have a lot of patients in their 90's. I'll say this, I hope not to make it that far.
Don't get me wrong, I don't support restricting health care to the aged. But watching what they deal with on a daily basis from the standpoint of infirmity, I'll pass.
Given MY choice, I'd like to go to bed sometime in my 60's or 70's and not wake up again.

That is a fact! My mom is 92 and still on her own and not a burden to anyone in society. However just watching and hearing her talk, I've often told her I don't want to live that long. She herself is ready any time she gets called, will probably live to be a hundred.

 

[hippiebrian]

Ok, this sounds bad, but who says longevity should be our goal?
I have a lot of patients in their 90's. I'll say this, I hope not to make it that far.
Don't get me wrong, I don't support restricting health care to the aged. But watching what they deal with on a daily basis from the standpoint of infirmity, I'll pass.
Given MY choice, I'd like to go to bed sometime in my 60's or 70's and not wake up again.

This all depends on health really. My grandfather died at 93 while he was out feeding the chickens, and he had a large garden he tended as well as a small orchard. My grandmother made it to 98, and when she passed she had 4 pies in the oven. If I can live that long and be as healthy as them, I'll take it! If I live that long because I'm being fed through a tube and someone's changing my diapers, then just let me go!

 

[Vocalek]

This all depends on health really. My grandfather died at 93 while he was out feeding the chickens, and he had a large garden he tended as well as a small orchard. My grandmother made it to 98, and when she passed she had 4 pies in the oven. If I can live that long and be as healthy as them, I'll take it! If I live that long because I'm being fed through a tube and someone's changing my diapers, then just let me go!

Amen to that. "Just shoot me, honey."

Why do we feel that it is humane to put any animal in unrelenting pain out of its misery; but if you're human, you are expected to "suck it up" and your family members are expected to stand by and "suck it up" as well?

 

[MoonRose]

Amen to that. "Just shoot me, honey."

Why do we feel that it is humane to put any animal in unrelenting pain out of its misery; but if you're human, you are expected to "suck it up" and your family members are expected to stand by and "suck it up" as well?

Exactly ... we act humanely towards animals and put them out of their misery, why can't we be just as humane towards our fellow humans that are terminally ill and in pain. And for heaven's sake, I wish people would get off the kick of denying a terminally ill person of high doses of pain meds by saying they might get addicted or it will speed up their death ... so what, they are dying anyway, let's at least let them die pain free if at all possible.

 

[rothenbj]

Isn't it amazing, they worry about the burden of smoker's health care costs, but will force those terminally ill and suffering into the world of medicine as long as possible just to keep them breathing. They'll complain about smokers, and notice I didn't say smoking because it's moved way beyond that, they'll do everything possible to make sure they don't quit other than as they want them to and they'll glory in the job they've done for humanity.

 

[throatkick]

If anyone has done extensive traveling they know that in many countries smoking has been far, far more prevalent there than in the US. Yet for years, their life expectancy has been similar to that of the US and higher in many cases. Without going into details (purposely) and without in any way defending smoking, you will see that something doesn't jive.