Not all news is bad. The latest government report on life expectancy in the United States shows an increase to nearly 77 years-the highest ever. Life expectancy increased to 76.9 years for those born in 2000, up from 76.7 years in 1999, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a report released last month. The gap between men and women is becoming smaller, with men slowly catching up with the usually longer living females. The gap has constantly narrowed since 1990 and now stands at 5.4 years. Women born in 2000 are expected to reach 79.5 years on average.

Important progress can be observed in the decline of infant mortality in the U.S., which has had higher infant mortality than a number of other industrialized countries. The CDC study of death certificates nationwide showed that infant mortality dropped last year to 6.9 deaths for every 1,000 live births, down from 7.1 in 1999. This is good news, and continues the trend of the last decades of increasing life expectancies and improving health and medical services.

These improvements show that, despite the perception by some that modern-day lifestyles are risky, many aspects of people's health are getting better. Legitimate concerns about cancer, heart disease, and other major diseases often give the impression that the risks of these diseases are increasing. The new report, however, shows encouraging trends in many of those categories. The mortality rates for several of the 15 leading causes of death have decreased. For example, the preliminary age-adjusted death rate for heart disease decreased by 3.8%. That means that 15,298 fewer deaths from heart disease occurred in 2000 than in 1999. Even in the case of cancer, the second leading cause of death after heart disease, hopeful signs are emerging. The age-adjusted death rate for cancer declined by 1.1% from 1999 to 2000. That decrease is in line with the trend of a decreasing mortality rate for cancer since 1990.

Several other factors are also showing positive trends. Ageadjusted death rates fell for homicide, suicide, accidents or "unintentional injuries," stroke, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.

In spite of these positive developments, individuals in their daily lives often worry about challenges to their health and welfare from relatively minor risks. Individuals often fear risks they are unable to control, even if those risks are small. Those risk factors that people can influence often cause less concern, even though they may pose a much higher risk.

Many consumers, for example, worry about minuscule risks from pesticides on fruits and vegetables, or about the introduction of genetically modified foods; yet many consumers also forgo opportunities to reduce more significant risks through lifestyle changes. The report on decreasing mortality rates shows that, while there are no guarantees against diseases or accidents, there are many things people can do to reduce their risks from certain diseases, such as heart disease and certain cancers.

Scientific evidence is growing that diets rich in fruits and vegetables coincide with a lower incidence of several lifethreatening diseases. Also regular exercise, moderation in fat intake, and abstaining from smoking are all associated with longer life expectancies.

People often show a great belief in "news" that they hear from friends and colleagues. In the age of e-mail and the Internet, rumors about health scares can spread quickly. For example, last year many women were frightened by a false rumor that underarm antiperspirant and deodorants could cause breast cancer, a sensitive issue with many women who might have experienced the disease in family members or friends.

Medical and scientific societies, as well as government authorities, often provide information that can counter unsubstantiated rumors. In the antiperspirant episode, the Food and Drug Administration provided information on its Web site stating that there seemed to be no basis for this concern.

Consumers should seek information sources, such as scientific societies, that can provide an adequate assessment of a risk factor and present it in the general context of other risks. This information can prevent people from becoming unnecessarily alarmed about very small risks.

Media sometimes report new threats more extensively than good news, which can leave the impression that risks from cancer and other diseases are growing, despite the dramatic improvements in diagnosis and treatment. For example, the CDC report also shows that while mortality rates for many causes of death are decreasing, others, such as Alzheimer's disease, have increased over the years. This development is not surprising, since Alzheimer's and several other diseases are more common in older people. The trend for some diseases may be caused simply by the increase in the average age of the population. That does not mean that researchers will not try to beat these challenges as well.

Statistics will never be able to predict the fate of individuals. The risks are too diverse to predict the chances for each and every one. But scientists are often able to identify risk factors that can be avoided. When releasing the CDC report, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson pointed out that while life expectancy increased, surveys continually show Americans getting less active and more obese. Those factors are known to contribute to serious illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes, among others. Those real risks can often be reduced significantly by lifestyle changes-e.g., changing one's diet, giving up smoking, and getting more exercise.

From Healthy.net