Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 6, 1990 TAG: 9004061016
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A8 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: Short
Atop the list: Japan.
In the United States, the average life expectancy is 75 years, trailing Japan by 4.1 years, but beating the lowest of the 33, Hungary, by more than five years, the national Centers for Disease Control reported Thursday.
The average Hungarian lives 69.7 years, the CDC said.
The United States also ranked near the middle of the 33 nations in death rates from all causes: 828.4 deaths are reported for each 100,000 people each year. Japan was best at 628.8; Romania worst at 1,242.
The leading cause of death in the United States, heart disease, hits harder here than in other countries. The U.S. mortality rate from heart disease was 382 per 100,000 per year for men and 214 for women, compared with 339 and 206 in the other 32 developed countries.
Throughout the 33 countries, heart disease accounted for 30 percent of deaths. Cancer caused 21 percent and stroke 14 percent.
Fourteen percent of deaths in the 33 countries - about 1.5 million a year - are attributed to smoking, the CDC said.
Fewer Americans smoke, compared with the other countries; 31 percent of U.S. males and 26 percent of American females smoke. In other countries, 41 percent of men and 29 percent of women smoke.
"The large number of deaths attributable to cigarette smoking indicates that reduction of this risk factor would substantially increase life expectancy in the developed world," the Atlanta-based CDC said.
by CNB