US Slipping in Life Expectancy Rankings August 12, 2007 WASHINGTON - Americans are living longer than ever, but not as long as people in 41 other countries. For decades, the United States has been slipping in international rankings of life expectancy, as other countries improve health care, nutrition and lifestyles. Countries that surpass the U.S. include Japan and most of Europe, as well as Jordan, Guam and the Cayman Islands. Among the factors: * Adults in the United States have one of the highest obesity rates in the world. Nearly a third of U.S. adults 20 years and older are obese, while about two-thirds are overweight, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. "The U.S. has the resources that allow people to get fat and lazy," said Paul Terry, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Emory University in Atlanta. "We have the luxury of choosing a bad lifestyle as opposed to having one imposed on us by hard times." * Racial disparities. Black Americans have an average life expectancy of 73.3 years, five years shorter than white Americans. Black American males have a life expectancy of 69.8 years, slightly longer than the averages for Iran and Syria and slightly shorter than in Nicaragua and Morocco. * A relatively high percentage of babies born in the U.S. die before their first birthday, compared with other industrialized nations. http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-life-expectancy,0,2964572.story
So all those European welfare states are suddenly models of hardcore discipline? And it's welfare and MacDonalds that kill the babies in their first few months? The lives of Americans are far better characterized by credit card debt and second jobs than "welfare". We don't even get health care, without a good job or three bad ones.
Everything sucks about America, huh? Nothing good ever came from America. Fascinating how you accuse Dawkins of polemic.
America is reduced to infantilism. Paris Hilton is their Queen, Rupert Murdoch their King...they dance to the tune of Rap, Britney Speares and a mix of obese men watching anorexic 'celebrities'. A busted flush if ever I saw one.
Lets not stop there... They are defeated in Iraq and they are stuck in a quagmire in Afghanistan. Did they not learn from Vietnam..for such a strong nation why do they keep losing to these 'primitive races'. :shrug:
I think its our addiction to cars. We'd rather buy pre-packaged diet food than walk to the grocery store.
it is not the aging, it is the quality of life. they may keep you alive but they wont keep you from shitting yourself, drooling, dementia etc.
Slower ticking bombs huh? Maybe y'all will get too fat to move and everyone else can breathe a sigh of relief. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I don't think its the food. Its the activity. My grandparents generation ate lots of meat, lard, butter, eggs, bread, pies, fried chicken, pancakes with syrup, etc. But they walked everywhere. Most of the work was physical. We now eat and sit at a desk. We eat in front of TVs.
Only in terms of casualties. Those burgers are too costly for the economies that have to collapse so you can eat them. :shrug:
Its the type of food too, fabricated foods, processed meats, cows eating protein made from leftover cow meat, chickens eating chow made from leftover chicken meat.:shrug:
I've been to a department store yesterday (yeah, cursed Wal-Mart supercenter), honestly, I couldn't find damn single food item I would want to eat. It's damn dead food store, I'll keep silent on the taste. Say thanks to Agro Biz which destroyed local agriculture to feed crowds with crap. Iowa, California (especially California) - scary landscapes of gigantic monoculture fields. Picked up green, delivered 1000 -3000 miles those vegies lose little taste they have. And that crap ain't cheap either - $1.5/lb for tasteless, film coated, 1 year old apples with seeds already germinated inside. There are only 5-7 kinds of apples sold in stores, 100 years ago there were 700, free market my arse. It's no wonder that American (especially short on cash) are hooked on meat and sweets (tasteless also not counting salt and papper), but cheaper, addictive and craving satisfying. Depression foods. Oh, did I say you that about 20% of Americans are on some kind prescription antidepressant. Pretty happy society I must say, but I'm not surprised, visiting American food stores and restoraunts could depress the most chearful Europian.
The meat is not fresh either, it just looks it: with and without carbon monoxide treatment. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! http://articles.news.aol.com/business/_a/concerns-beef-up-over-treated-meat/20060221104509990030
