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Improvements in life expectancy are stalling all over Europe. England is feeling the biggest slowdown of all, with nutritionists blaming a mix of poor diet, mass inactivity and soaring obesity.
Growth in life expectancy is slowing across Europe, with England currently witnessing the sharpest decline.
This does not mean that life expectancy itself is declining, just the pace of improvement. Experts blame the slow down on a mix of several factors, including poor diet, mass inactivity and rising obesity.
The average annual growth in life expectancy across Europe fell from 0.23 years between 1990 and 2011 to 0.15 years between 2011 and 2019. This is according to research published in the Lancet Public Health journal. The only country that didn’t experience a slowdown in annual improvement was Norway.
England’s numbers were the worst of the bunch. There has been a fall in average annual improvement of 0.18 years, from 0.25 between 1990 and 2011 to 0.07 between 2011 and 2019. Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland all closely followed.
Despite these numbers, it’s worth mentioning that life expectancy in general is still very high in Europe and far outpaces most of the world. If you were born in Europe today, you could expect to live to at least your 80s.
An increase in deaths is tied to obesity, high cholesterol, blood pressure, poor diets and a lack of exercise has affected the numbers. The pandemic also made a dent on the average life expectancy age. Some experts also cite population changes over time as a potential cause.
Speaking to The Guardian, England’s director of public health Sarah Price said that this study highlights the importance of prevention, exercise and a balanced diet. ‘This is exactly why it will be such a key part of the 10-year health plan which we are working with the government on,’ they said.
Obesity is a problem across the world, with 39% of all adults now overweight. In the UK, the NHS is estimated to have spent £6.1 billion on related health problems in 2014/15. That number will have only increased since then.
Interestingly, the UK has been found to drink more sugary drinks than most other European countries. Our population also eats significantly less fruits and vegetables. Many work in sedentary office jobs and do not exercise enough.
According to the Global Obesity Federation, 36% of UK adults do not engage in enough physical activity, which is lower than many Europeans. This is also the case for children, with 31% of those aged 5-19 being classed as overweight or obese.
Thanks to on-the-go delivery services like Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat, it’s never been easier to consume highly-processed fast foods. None of these services pay particular attention to healthy eating in their marketing campaigns, often featuring franchises like KFC, McDonalds and Greggs in their advertisements.
