Link: Americans spend more years sick than rest of world, study finds

Even as Americans enjoy longer lifespans, they endure a greater number of years in poor health compared to other nations. A new study highlights that the average American now lives with illness for 12.4 years, an increase from 10.9 years two decades ago.

This concerning trend, revealed in research published by the American Medical Association, underscores a growing healthspan-lifespan gap. This gap not only exists in the U.S. but is also becoming more apparent worldwide.

The rise of chronic illnesses plays a significant role in this gap, wherein individuals spend an increasing part of their lives managing health issues. This shift calls for a reconsideration of how health metrics are evaluated.

Traditionally, life expectancy has been the go-to metric for assessing public health outcomes. However, the focus is shifting towards health-adjusted life expectancy, which considers the quality and not just the quantity of years lived.

Researchers advocate for a deeper analysis into how long people live without health complications. Understanding health-adjusted life expectancy can lead to better health policies and outcomes.

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