Life expectancy in the U.S. declined in 2015 instead of inching up as it does most years.
The average U.S. resident is now expected to live 78.8 years, down from a life expectancy of 78.9 years in 2014. Life expectancy fell more for males, by 0.2 years, than for females, down 0.1 years.
The slide in life expectancy is a surprising turn of events, as it has steadily ticked upward for decades, and only declined during a few years, including 1993, during the AIDS epidemic, and during a bad flu season in 1980.
While deaths from cancer declined in 2015, rates for 8 of the 10 leading causes of death increased, including for heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, accidental injuries and suicide.
The report is based on death certificates examined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 2.7 million people died in 2015, about 86,000 more than the previous year.
