A new study reports a slowdown in the increase of life expectancy in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom. Scientists attribute this to unhealthy diets.
The main reason for the stagnation in life expectancy growth in Europe is poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, and lack of physical activity. This conclusion was reached by British scientists, whose findings were published in the February issue of Lancet.
Special attention is given to the fact that the steady improvement in life expectancy in Europe, which had lasted for decades, came to a halt after 2011. The study covers 20 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland).
The most significant slowdown in life expectancy growth has been observed in the United Kingdom and Germany. The only country where life expectancy continued to rise until the pandemic was Norway, thanks to its government policy of reducing sugar consumption.
Researchers link this trend to the increase in mortality from cardiovascular diseases caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, including consumption of refined foods, lack of physical activity, and obesity.
The pandemic became a turning point. Countries that had maintained the growth of life expectancy until 2020, such as the Scandinavian countries, Iceland, and Belgium, coped better with the consequences of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Greece and the United Kingdom experienced a significant decline in life expectancy—by about 7 months.
