U.S. Life Expectancy Hits New High of Nearly 78 Years

[12 September 2007 - National Center for Health Statistics] A child born in the United States in 2005 can expect to live nearly 78 years (77.9) – a new high – according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2005.” The report from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is based on approximately 99 percent of death records reported in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for 2005 and documents the latest trends in the leading causes of death and infant mortality. The increase in life expectancy represents a continuation of a long-running trend. Over the past decade, life expectancy has increased from 75.8 years in 1995, and from 69.6 years in 1955. More