November 7th 2024.
Australia's life expectancy has slightly decreased for the second consecutive year, according to a recent government report. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed that a boy born in Australia between 2021 and 2023 can expect to live an average of 81.1 years, while a girl can expect to live 85.1 years. While this may seem concerning, it's important to note that Australians still have a longer life expectancy than many other countries, such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.
Beidar Cho, the head of demography at the ABS, acknowledged the decrease in life expectancy but also pointed out that this is largely due to the high number of COVID-19 deaths in 2021-2023, which totaled 15,982. This is a significant increase from the previous year, with 4,100 more deaths. As a result, the average life expectancy has decreased by 0.1 years for men and 0.2 years for women during this time period.
Interestingly, the data also shows that a 60-year-old Australian man can expect to live an additional 24.2 years on average, while a woman can expect an additional 27.1 years. This is longer than the life expectancy at birth, as those who have reached 60 have already survived several decades of life. It's also worth noting that a person's state or territory of residence may have an impact on their life expectancy.
According to the data, the Australian Capital Territory has the highest male life expectancy at 81.7 years, followed by Western Australia at 81.6 years and Victoria at 81.5 years. For females, the highest life expectancy was found in the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia at 85.7 years, followed by Victoria at 85.4 years and New South Wales at 85.2 years. On the other hand, the Northern Territory had the lowest life expectancy for both men and women at 76.4 years and 80.4 years, respectively.
However, despite these variations, the data also revealed a positive trend in overall life expectancy. From 2013 to 2023, both male and female life expectancies saw a significant increase, with 1.5 years for men and 1.2 years for women. This is a clear indication of the advancements in healthcare and the overall well-being of Australians.
For the latest updates on news, sports, politics, and weather, be sure to download the 9News app. Stay informed and receive notifications straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
