Article Content

Life expectancy in the United States has reached a new high of almost 78 years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A child born in the United States in 2005 can expect to live 77.9 years.

  
Figure. No caption a... - Click to enlarge in new windowFigure. No caption available.

The increase is a continuation of a long-running trend. Life expectancy rose from 69.6 years in 1955 to 75.8 years in 1995. The three leading killers in the United States are heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Deaths from these three causes declined in comparison to 2004 data.

 

The CDC data are based on about 99% of death records in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia for 2005. The full report is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/.