More than 40 countries sit ahead of the United States when it comes to their citizens’ life expectancy, by United Nations counts. Americans will live an average of 7.5 years less than people in countries with the highest life expectancy, despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world and spending more than other countries on health care.
This shorter life expectancy is true across age brackets, racial demographics and income levels in the United States.
“There is something about being born in the U.S. that gives you a life expectancy disadvantage,” said Youssef Azami, a graduate student in public health and public policy at the University of Washington.