On Wednesday, the CDC released data examining changes in life expectancy from 2013 to 2014. The data highlights life expectancy in regards to gender and three racial demographics — Hispanic, non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black.
Here are four things to know about life expectancy trends in the U.S.
• White females: In what could be a statistical blip, the life expectancy of white women dipped by 0.1 years from 2013 to 2014. This datum reflects a larger trend in American life expectancy, which is one of stagnated improvement.
• Lost momentum: Though life expectancy has lengthened since national estimates were first published in 1900, the U.S. population as a whole has not exhibited a statistically significant uptick in longevity since 2010. "Despite the positive influences of declines in heart disease and cancer and stroke, increases in other causes like suicide, chronic liver disease and unintentional poisonings were so large that they had a negative effect on life expectancy," Elizabeth Arias, PhD, a demographer with the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics and the author of the report, told the Washington Post.
• Some improvements: There were measurable increases in life expectancy among the African-American and Hispanic population. Hispanic life expectancy increased from 81.6 to 81.8 years — the overall increase was seen in both men and women. Hispanics displayed the highest rates of longevity in the analysis. Life expectancy for African-Americans rose from 75.1 to 75.2 years, catalyzed by a significant improvement among black males, from 71.8 to 72.2 years. The overall life expectancy for non-Hispanic whites was 78.8 in 2014.
• The American way: Laudy Aron, a researcher from the Urban Institute, has focused much of her work on the health disadvantages of Americans compared to individuals living in other wealthy nations. Some studies have attributed American health issues to high levels of poverty, limited access to primary care, sedentary lifestyles and obesity. Ms. Aron, regarding the CDC report, told the Post, "We continue to deviate from what these other high-income countries are doing, especially among women...equally important will be what happens next year and the year after, and seeing if we are on some kind of new trend line."