The US public is fed up with RFK Jr. To really ‘make America healthy again’, it should look to Europe | Devi Sridhar
Americans are dying younger than Europeans, despite being the wealthiest people on the planet. Wellness fads won’t change that I’m just back from my home country, the United States. I always enjoy visiting, but every time I go between the US and my adopted home of Europe, I’m keenly aware of disparity in health: Americans live much shorter lives and spend more of their lifetime in poor health.…
Recent data highlights a troubling trend: Americans are dying younger compared to their European counterparts, despite being the wealthiest populace globally. Visiting the United States, I am continually struck by the stark contrast in health outcomes between the two nations. Despite higher incomes and healthcare expenditures, Americans suffer longer periods of ill health and shorter lifespans.
A study of 74,000 adults revealed that even the affluent in America face mortality rates surpassing those of the affluent in Europe. Furthermore, wealthiest Americans' life expectancy aligns with that of the poorest residents in northern and western European nations. This indicates that wealth alone fails to mitigate the impact of broader determinants on life expectancy.
Prof Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to address this health disparity.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
