Life Expectancy in U.S. Declines Slightly, and Researchers Are Puzzled

The New York Times
 

.....Dr. Muennig said that popular theories for the cause of the decline, including an increase in obesity rates and an opiod epidemic, fail to explain a problem that feels broader.

“If you actually dissect the data neither of those arguments hold,” he said. “This report slams it home that this is really a mystery.”

Is there any positive news?

Dr. Xu said that the study’s lone bright spot showed a decline in deaths from cancer, by 1.7 percent.

“That’s the only part that’s good news,” he said.....