[extropy-chat] Extinctions

[Martin Striz]

On 6/14/06, BillK <pharos at gmail.com> wrote:

> Well, surprisingly, the reason US people don't live longer is because
> of what kills them.  :)
>
> The US has got rid of many of the third world diseases and substituted
> the diseases of rich first world countries.  Obesity, diabetes, heart
> disease, etc.

All of which can be reduced by changing two lifestyle factors, sadly.

> Mostly aided by lifestyle problems like lack of
> exercise, overeating and eating the wrong food, smoking, cars, guns,
> alcohol, etc.

The study that I cited in the other email also states that
smoking-related illnesses are down, not just among smokers, but among
non-smokers as well.  They blame both the decrease in smoking rates
(overall drop from ~35% in the 1950s to 23% today), AND the recent
popularity of smoking bans.  Apparently the drop in smoking-related
illnesses among non-smokers can't be accounted for by a drop in
smoking rates alone.

>  And the infant mortality rate is 25% higher than
> Euroland, which brings the overall life expectancy figure down.

I think that's because poverty in certain areas of the United States
is much worse than many Western European countries.

> The other point is that a lot of US health expenditure is not for
> life-threatening conditions, Just 'feel-good' or 'feel-better' stuff.

Probably true.  In an ideal transhumanist world, we should be spending
a lot on medical improvements, not fixing what's broken.

Martin