OECD Report Shows UK to Have Lowest Life Expectancy in Western Europe

November 20, 2024 TruthUSA

In European countries, Spain boasts the highest average life expectancy at 84.2 years, followed closely by Italy at 83.8 years.

The UK ranks lowest in life expectancy among Western European nations and the European Union average, according to a recent health report.

Data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Monday shows that the average life expectancy in the UK is 80.9 years, falling below the EU average of 81.5 years and placing the UK at the bottom among Western European countries.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicate that life expectancy in England and Wales is 79 years for men and 83 years for women, which marks a slight decrease compared to the pre-COVID-19 period of 2018–2020.

During and post the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK’s mortality rate increased, impacting life expectancy estimates for 2021 to 2023, as reported by the ONS. In contrast, Scotland saw an increase in life expectancy rates for both men and women.

For Northern Ireland, women are expected to live 3.8 years longer than men, with a life expectancy of 82.3 years for women and 78.4 years for men.

According to the OECD, Spain leads the European life expectancy chart with 84 years, followed by Italy, Malta, Luxembourg, Sweden, and France. People in these countries are projected to live longer compared to the UK, with only a few Eastern European nations lagging behind.

Latvia and Bulgaria have the lowest life expectancy of 75.8 years in the EU. On average, women across EU countries live significantly longer than men by 5.3 years.

Mortality Rates and Disease

The Office for National Statistics noted that a slowdown in the increase of life expectancy doesn’t necessarily mean people will live a shorter life.

“Changes in mortality rates throughout their lifetime determine average lifespan, and if mortality rates improve, period life expectancy will rise,” the ONS added.

In England and Wales, there were 581,363 registered deaths in 2023, marking a 0.7% increase from the previous year.

Advancements in prevention and medical care have significantly reduced mortality rates from heart diseases over the years. However, ischaemic heart diseases remained a leading cause of death in 2023.

Similar trends were observed in other EU countries, where cardiovascular diseases topped the list of mortality causes in 2021.

In the UK, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory diseases, and cancer were among the leading causes of death in 2023.

Global health risks such as high blood pressure, obesity, poor diet, and smoking continue to pose significant challenges. Studies predict these conditions will have a substantial impact on disease burden in the future.

Action on Sugar called for government action to address excessive sugar consumption among children, emphasizing the need to update nutrition guidelines in schools to prevent diet-related diseases.

Efforts to combat obesity and high sugar intake include proposals to increase the soft drinks levy and review sugar thresholds and exemptions for certain beverages.

The government’s 10-Year Health Plan aims to prioritize disease prevention by implementing measures like restricting junk food advertising and phasing out tobacco sales to create a healthier society.

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