Life expectancy in U.S. up a bit, to 78
- Share via
Life expectancy in the United States has increased to almost 78 years, the country’s highest on record, amid a downturn in deaths from heart disease, cancer and stroke, according to new federal estimates published Wednesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said preliminary figures for 2005 showed an increased U.S. infant mortality rate from the prior year, but it called the rise statistically insignificant. Black babies younger than 1 remained far more likely to die than white babies.
The CDC said that a child born in the United States in 2005 can expect to live 77.9 years, up from 77.8 in 2004 and continuing a rise dating back decades.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
