Life expectancy in Germany is on a decline.
When it comes to life expectancy, Germany isn't keeping up with the average in Western Europe. This gap has been getting bigger over the years - an extra year since 2000. A recent study conducted by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) and the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research explored the factors behind this.
Germany is ranked as one of the worst performers in Western Europe regarding life expectancy, and it's not improving. This data was based on an analysis of mortality trends over various decades. In 2000, Germany was about 0.7 years behind the average life expectancy at birth for Western European countries. But by 2022, the difference had increased to 1.7 years. According to the BiB's lead researcher, Pavel Grigoriev, a shift occurred in the 2000s - "a turning point in the dynamics of mortality development in Germany." Since then, the mortality gap between Germany and other Western European countries has been increasing steadily.
Interestingly, after reunification, East Germany displayed a remarkable reduction in the gap compared to West Germany and Western Europe. However, as the authors state, "since the turn of the millennium, both western and eastern Germany have been left behind by the other countries in Western Europe."
The report showed that different age groups were contributing to Germany's growing life expectancy gap. For women, the age group of 75 and older had higher mortality rates than those in other Western European nations. As for men, it was the age group between 55 and 74 that stood out. The researchers found that cardiovascular diseases were the primary cause of this increased mortality rate.
BiB's Research Director, Sebastian Klüsener, believes that more effort is needed in the prevention and early detection of cardiovascular diseases. He also mentioned the significance of addressing tobacco and alcohol use, as well as promoting healthy eating. According to Klüsener, there's still a lot of potential within these areas to prepare for the aging population better in society.
The study compared life expectancy status in a total of 15 countries in Western Europe - ranging from Switzerland to Denmark, Great Britain, and Finland.
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- Given the rising concern about life expectancy in Germany, there's an increasing focus on ageing research to identify strategies for improving health outcomes, particularly in the age groups with high mortality rates, such as women over 75 and men between 55 and 74, who are often affected by cardiovascular diseases.
- Germany is not only falling behind in life expectancy in comparison to other Western European countries but also in the field of senior education, where initiatives to promote health, wellness, and independent living are crucial for seniors, helping them to live their later years to the fullest.
- To close the life expectancy gap with other Western European countries, Germany could learn from advanced European nations such as Sweden or France, which have invested heavily in research and education related to ageing, incorporating heart attack prevention and early detection measures as well as programs to combat tobacco and alcohol use, encouraging healthy eating, and promoting overall well-being.
Source: www.ntv.de
