by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
The National Center for Health Statistics issued a report last week stating that life expectancy rates in the US have jumped back from their pandemic lows in 2021 to just above the levels they were at immediately prior to the pandemic, and the new numbers are greater than any prior year going back to 1900. But, THE UNITED STATES STILL LAGS BEHIND MOST OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN LIFE EXPECTANCY.
The new figures indicate that a child born in the United States in 2024 can expect to live and average of 79 years, (81.4 years for women and 76.5 years for men). Those figures have been climbing since 2021, and represent roughly the same period of time that President Biden was in office. Things have changed markedly since Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January of 2025 and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was placed under the control of its new leader, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
HHS Secretary Kennedy has embarked on a promotional "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) campaign. In that effort he has restructured health agencies (getting rid of many experienced leaders), reduced recommended vaccinations, and advocated for the removal of fluoride from public water systems. He has also changed dietary recommendations to emphasize eating more whole foods, meat, and dairy, with dairy products being full-fat, and less processed foods. Critics claim the new dietary recommendations are geared more toward advancing the interests of American farmers than they are in promoting long-term health benefits.
The Trump administration cut more than $1 billion in funding for school lunches and food banks in 2025.
In addition to the impact that the new policies of the HHS Secretary will have on US life expectancy, many other factors will also affect the numbers. One of the most important will be Americans' access to health care. Enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies expired on January 1st due to inaction by Congress and opposition from many Republican legislators, and thousands of people have lost health care coverage as a result. Complicating that is the steady rise in the cost of medicines and medical care. THE UNITED STATES IS THE ONLY MAJOR INDUSTRIALIZED NATION THAT DOES NOT HAVE SOME FORM OF UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE.
Access to health care, including vaccinations, and good nutrition are key components to long-term survival. Life expectancy in the United States has increased over the past four years. It will be interesting to see how those numbers change during the next four years.
