Spain to Lead Japan in Global Life Expectancy, U.S. Continues to Slide

A study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) published in The Lancet predicts Spain will pass Japan as the country with the highest life expectancy by 2040, while the United States is expected to plummet significantly, reports CNN . Spanish citizens will live for 85.8 years on average, edging out 85.7 years in Japan, and 85.2 years in Switzerland. Meanwhile, the U.S. will experience the steepest decline in ranking of all high-income countries, falling from 43rd place in 2016 to 64th by 2040, with an average life expectancy of 79.8. China's ranking is projected to climb 29 places to 39th. Americans will live only 1.1 years longer on average in 2040 versus 2016, compared to the average global rise of 4.4 years over the same interval. Factors underpinning the most premature deaths are high blood pressure, high body mass index, high blood sugar, tobacco use, and alcohol use. Growth in drug-related deaths is believed to represent one factor in the projected U.S. decline, with accidental overdoses causing 63,600 deaths in 2016. "Whether we see significant progress or stagnation depends on how well or poorly health systems address key health drivers," says IHME's Kyle Foreman. Spain is one of several European countries that offers tax-funded healthcare, with the World Health Organization ranking their healthcare system the seventh best globally.