New CDC report says US life expectancy at an all-time high

According to latest report on life expectancy by the CDC (Mortality in the United States, 2012), Americans can now expect to live longer than ever before.

Life expectancy at selected ages, by sex: United States, 2012

The report compared reported deaths in 2012 with those reported in 1987 and concluded that while overall life expectancy is increasing, so is the suicide rate.

• U.S. life expectancy for a child born in 2012 was 78 years and 9 1/2 months, up about six weeks from life expectancy in 2010 and 2011. That’s a record.
• For someone 65, the CDC estimates that men have about 18 years of life left and women about 20 1/2 years. The gaps between men and women grew slightly, compared to 2011.
• There were 2.5 million deaths in 2012, or about 28,000 more than the year before. The increase was expected, reflecting the nation’s growing and aging population, Anderson said.
• The infant mortality rate dropped again slightly, to a new low of 5.98 per 1,000 births. That’s a historic low, but the U.S. infant mortality rate continues to be higher than in most European countries.
• Death rates for blacks and whites dropped but held steady for Hispanics. However, Hispanic death rates remain lower than the black and white numbers.
• The 10 leading causes of death remained the same, with heart disease and cancer topping the list. Suicide is the 10th.

The suicide rate rose more than 2 percent, to 12.6 per suicide deaths per 100,000 American. That’s the highest it’s been since 1987, when the rate was 12.8.

Read the full story: CDC report finds US life expectancy reaches new high