Challenging the Narrative: New Study Shows U.S. Life Expectancy Is Rising Across All States

A BMJ Open study finds that people born between 1941 and 2000 gained life expectancy in every U.S. state and region.

Using updated mortality data, the researchers say earlier claims of little or no progress in some Southern states need revision.

The pace of improvement varied by state, but the evidence does not support a widening longevity gap across regions.

The study suggests policy analysis should focus on what drove earlier gains and why progress has slowed more recently.