A recent article posted by BBC News examines the widening gap in life expectancy rates between the US and other Western countries. Risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure and tobacco use have been linked to a slowed increase towards longevity in Americans when compared to that of Britons or Canadians. "When you look at life expectancy at 65 or 75, the US performs rather well" says Duke researcher Svetlana Ukraintseva. Where the US lags behind is what happens at a much younger age.
