Summary: A new study found that improvements in life expectancy across Europe have slowed significantly since 2011. Key factors include increased obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Cardiovascular disease deaths played a major role in this decline, especially in the UK.
Countries with strong public health policies such as Norway and Sweden have improved their life expectancy trends. The findings suggest that lifestyle changes and bold government intervention are important to reverse this trend. Without action, the younger generation may not live as long as its predecessor.
Important facts:
The impact of cardiovascular disease: a major driver of slowing life expectancy since 2011. Increased health risks: Obesity, diet and physical inactivity are increasing across Europe.
Source: University of East Anglia
A study by the University of East Anglia and partners shows that since 2011, the increase in human life expectancy has slowed down across Europe.
A new study published today in Lancet Public Health reveals that the food we eat, physical inactivity and obesity are primarily responsible and a symbiotic pandemic.
Of all the countries surveyed, the UK experienced the biggest slowdown in life expectancy.
It may be that we are dying faster, rather than looking forward to living longer than our parents or grandparents.
The team says that in order to extend our old age, we need to prioritize healthy lifestyles in our youth.
Professor Nick Steele, the lead researcher at UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: But this is no longer the case.
“From 1990 to 2011, reductions in cardiovascular disease and cancer deaths continued to lead to significant improvements in life expectancy.
“But around 2011, steady decades of improvements ultimately slowed down, and international differences became more noticeable.
“We found that cardiovascular disease deaths were the main drivers of the decline in life expectancy improvements from 2011 to 2019. Naturally, Covid Pandemic was seen in 2019 to 2021. This was the cause of a decrease in life expectancy.
“Since 2011, major risks such as obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol have ceased to increase or improve in almost all countries.
“Better cholesterol and blood pressure treatment were not enough to offset the harms from obesity and poor diet,” he added.
The researchers studied data from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease 2021. 160 countries and territory.
They compared changes in life expectancy, cause of death, and population exposure to Europe between 1990 and 2011 and 19-19.
Countries surveyed include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It will be available.
The team says despite the recession, we have not yet reached the biological ceiling due to longevity.
Professor Steel explained: “The average life expectancy for seniors in many countries is still improving, indicating that they have not yet reached the natural longevity ceiling.
“Lifetime is primarily reflecting mortality rates at younger ages, where there is a large range to reduce harmful risks and prevent early deaths.
“Comparing countries, national policies that improve population health were related to better resilience to future shocks.”
“Souths such as Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium have maintained an improved life expectancy since 2011, reducing harm from the major risks of heart disease, aided by government policies.
“In contrast, the UK and other UK countries have been the worst since 2011 and during the community pandemic, experiencing some of the best risks of heart disease and cancer, including poor diet.
“This suggests that stronger government policies are needed to improve population health over the long term, including obesity, lower diet and lower physical activity.”
Professor John Newton of the European Centre for Environment and Human Health at the University of Exeter said: Many European countries, including the UK, have shown very poor progress, but addressing the underlying causes of major illnesses appears to be effective when only significant risk improvements can be maintained. Because it is full of hope. ”
Sara Price of NHS England, National Director of Public Health, said: With the government.
“The slowing improvements in life expectancy, especially due to cardiovascular disease and cancer, highlight the urgent need for stronger actions towards the underlying causes – poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity.
“The NHS is in its role and already helps hundreds of thousands lose weight through a 12-week digital weight management program, but more than 1 million people are undergoing blood pressure checks at NHS pharmacies a year. It greatly improves blood vessel problems and the overall health of people.
“But we don’t handle ways to get out of the obesity crisis and need to be kept in the source, so we need to take action across society.”
The study was led by the UEA in collaboration with global disease projects at the Health Measurement and Evaluation Institute, including the University of Washington, the University of Exeter, and the Department of Health and Social Care.
The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the UK Ministry of Health and Social Care.
About this research news on health and longevity
Author: Lisa Horton
Source: University of East Anglia
Contact: Lisa Houghton – University of East Anglia
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: Open access.
“Changes in life expectancy in European countries 1990-2021: Nick Steel et al. Lancet Public Health
Abstract
Changes in life expectancy in European countries 1990-2021: Sub-analysis of causes and risk factors from the global burden of disease research 2021
background
Decades of life expectancy in Europe have slowed down for controversial reasons, starting around 2011, well before the Covid-19 pandemic. We aimed to assess the changes in risk factors and cause-specific mortality rates in various European countries associated with changes in life expectancy in these countries before and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
method
Using data and methods from the global burden of illness, injuries and risk factors, changes in life expectancy at birth, causes of death, and populations to risk factors in 16 European economies (Austria, Belgium and Denmark) We compared changes in exposures., Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden) and four UKs, 1990-2011, 2011-19 – 19th, and three periods of 2019–21, the country (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales).
Changes in life expectancy and changes in cause of death were estimated using established causes-specific decomposition methods of life expectancy and compared to summary exposure values for risk factors for the major causes of death affecting life expectancy.
Survey results
All countries showed average annual improvements in life expectancy in both 1990 and 2011 (average average of 0.23 years (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 0.23 to 0.24)) and 2011 From 2019 to 2019 (average total 0 and 15 years (0, 13 to 0, 16)).
The average annual average annual life expectancy increase in 1990 was low in all countries except Norway, which increased from 0.21 years (95% UI 0.20 to 0.22). . –0.23 years from 2011 (0.21-0.26) 2011-19 (0.03 years difference).
In other countries, the difference in average annual improvements between these periods is the following: Iceland -0.01 years (0.19 years (95% UI 0.16-0.21) vs 0.18 years (0.0. It ranged from 09 to 0. ・26)), -0 ・18 years old (0 ・25 years (0 ・24 to 0 ・25) vs 0 ・07 years (0 ・06 to 0 ・08) ). From 2019 to 21, average annual life expectancy declined overall in all countries (average average –0. 18 years (95% UI –0. 22 to 22 to –0. 13)). Life expectancy except for Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark showed a slight improvement in life expectancy.
Cross-national, the causes of death that caused the biggest improvement in life expectancy between 1990 and 2011 were cardiovascular disease and neoplasms. Cardiovascular disease deaths were the main drivers of a decrease in life expectancy improvements between 2011 and 199, while deaths from respiratory infections and other Covid-19 pandemic-related outcomes were the average for 2019-21 This was the cause of a decrease in lifespan.
Cardiovascular disease and neoplasm deaths in 2019 result in other risks including systolic blood pressure, dietary risks, tobacco smoke, high LDL cholesterol, high BMI, occupational risks, high alcohol use, and low physical activity. It was due.
Exposure to these major risk factors differed from country to country, with a trend toward increased exposure to high BMI and decreased exposure to tobacco smoke observed in all countries from 1990 to 2021.
interpretation
Countries that have best maintained improvements in life expectancy since 2011 (Norway, Iceland, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden) are supported by reduced exposure to major risks that governments may be mitigated. We did so by improving the maintenance of reduced mortality due to vascular disease and neoplasms. policy.
Continuing improvements in life expectancy in five countries from 2019 to 21 shows that these countries were better prepared to withstand the Covid-19 pandemic. In contrast, countries with the biggest slowdown in life expectancy since 2011 resulted in the biggest decline in life expectancy between 2019 and 21.
These findings suggest that government policies that improve population health will provide resilience to future shocks. Such policies include reduced population exposure to cardiovascular diseases and major upstream risks of neoplasms, such as harmful diet and low physical activity, addressing poor health determinants, and affordable prices includes ensuring access to medical services.
Funds
Gates Foundation.
