Originally published September 26 2005
U.S. death rate decreases, but causes of death change
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Between 1970 and 2002, the death rate in the United States decreased by 70 percent, according to a new report, and while deaths from heart disease and stroke have declined, deaths from diabetes, lung disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are on the rise.
The overall U.S. death rate decreased by 32 percent between 1970 and 2002, although the absolute number of deaths continued to rise, according to a new report.
The largest declines were seen in heart disease and stroke, while death rates for diabetes and lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increased.
Cancer deaths also declined, but not nearly enough, stated the authors of the report, appearing in the Sept. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"The death rate overall has fallen considerably," said Elizabeth Ward, co-author of the report and director of surveillance research in the department of epidemiology and surveillance research at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta.
Age-standardized death rates have, in fact, been decreasing since the 1960s.
This year, for the first time, cancer displaced heart disease as the leading killer of Americans under the age of 85.
For Americans of all ages, however, heart disease remains the leading killer.
Ward and her colleagues examined trends in death rates from the nation's six leading causes of death: heart disease, stroke, cancer, COPD, accidents and diabetes.
The increase in cancer death rates through 1990 probably reflected the continued toll of smoking, while the renewed success against cancer after 1990 reflected gains in tobacco control, as well as early detection and better treatment.
As for diabetes, more deaths may simply reflect a greater prevalence of the disease, said Dr. Stuart Weiss, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine in New York City.
Reduced death rates from heart disease also reflect the decline in cigarette smoking, as well as improvements in screening or blood pressure and cholesterol, Ward added.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml