U.S. mortality ranks dead last

It's so counterintuitive. Of 17 industrialized/high-income nations - 13 in Europe, plus the U.S., Australia, Japan, and Canada - we spend the most (of GDP) on healthcare, yet we have the shortest lifespans.

In this 2011 study by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, American men ranked last, with the shortest average life span of 75.6 years. American women ranked 16 of 17, with average life spans of 80.7 years.

Wonder why? So did the National Institutes of Health. Here's what they found:

Although the U.S. spends nearly twice as much on healthcare as other countries, our health is consistently poorer across all age groups.

Our infant mortality rate is highest; so are youth rates for STDs, teen pregnancies, and deaths from car crashes.

Deaths before age 50 account for two-thirds of the gap between U.S. men and those in the other 16 countries; for females, one-third. The largest contributors in this age group were drugs, gun violence (including suicides; firearm homicides were 20 times higher than the other countries studied), and car accidents.

We have the highest rates of obesity and diabetes.

We have the second highest rates of heart- and lung-disease related deaths.

Obviously we rank poorly in most areas by comparison to other industrialized countries, but there is a little good news. The U.S. ranked comparatively well overall in cancers detectable by tests, such as breast cancer. Older Americans also do better controlling blood pressure and cholesterol than do their counterparts in Europe.

How did the IOM explain the gaps? Partly by access to healthcare; ours is much more limited, fragmented, and inconsistent. Too many Americans skip primary care due to cost barriers or lack of insurance, and don't see a physician until the situation is bad (and more expensive). Not a cost-effective or healthy scenario, according to the study.

But that's not all; the NIH looked deeper.

In short, they blamed lifestyle. We drive too much. We rarely walk and by comparison to other nations, we don't get outside much. You'd be surprised how much a simple habit of even short walks, instead of driving, can add up to good health. Yes, we eat too much sugar and processed/junk food, but we also eat too much in general; portion size per meal, we tend to overdo it and take in more than our bodies need.

The outdoors factor - getting away from videos, games, TV, and other screens - must be a big part of this. Why? As recently as the 1950s, things were switched. Studies in those days of fewer TV channels, more porch swings, and kids everywhere on bikes (even in cold weather), we were at or near the top of the same categories we now rank lowest.

Who did best in health and mortality rates overall? France and Australia, followed by Italy, Japan, and Sweden.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at [email protected].