Austerity may be starting to affect life expectancy in England, according to a leading health expert. Life expectancy has been rising for decades, but the latest data shows the rate of increase has slowed. University College London expert Sir Michael Marmot said he was “deeply concerned” by the situation, saying it was “entirely possible” austerity was affecting how long people live. His suggestion has been dismissed by the government, however. The Department of Health said it was providing the necessary support and funding to ensure life expectancy “continues to increase”. Using Office for National Statistics data, Sir Michael, who has advised both the government and World Health Organization, showed the rate of increase in life expectancy had nearly halved since 2010. Between 2000 and 2015, life expectancy at birth increased by one year every five years for women and by one year every 3.5 years for men. But this compares to one year every 10 years for women and one for every six for
Source: Rises in life expectancy ‘levelling off’ | DisabledGo News and Blog
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