Death: it might be an uncomfortable topic, but understanding who dies and how is a critical measure of the nation’s health. Many discussions about health outcomes begin at life expectancy, which is currently 78.7 years at birth in the US, well below the life expectancies of dozens of other countries. When people die and how are critical drivers of life expectancy. Furthermore, causes of death in the US vary significantly not just by age, but geography.
Most Americans die of heart disease and cancer
Two diseases account for nearly half of all deaths in the United States: heart disease and cancer. While the age-adjusted death rate* for cancer has declined since 2012, the age-adjusted death rate for heart disease has remained relatively flat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the decline in heart disease risk could initially be attributed to decreases in smoking and lung cancer. More recently, the decline is attributed to improved treatment for heart issues, plus further reductions in risk factors like cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking. The recent increase in heart disease-related deaths, however, may be due to increases in body mass index and diabetes.
