Life Expectancy in California Has Not Rebounded After Covid
A new analysis published on Wednesday in the medical journal JAMA found that life expectancy in California not only decreased sharply in the peak pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, it remained lower in 2024 than it was in 2019, primarily as a result of causes other than Covid.
Drug overdoses and cardiovascular disease, for example, accounted for a larger proportion of the deficit than Covid as time went on.
'I have to say, I was quite disappointed by our findings,' said Hannes Schwandt, a health economist and economic demographer at Northwestern University, who led the study.
After a pandemic, he said, researchers often expect to see the depressed life expectancy numbers shoot back up and 'usually even overshoot for a few years.' That is because the viruses tend to kill the population's older, sicker people who might have otherwise died in later years.
'Four years after the beginning of the pandemic, for the largest state in the country to still have a deficit — that's mind-blowing,' he said. 'Really quite a tragedy.'
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
23 minutes ago
- Fox News
America's dairy farmers and ice cream producers agree to quit using artificial colors
America's ice cream will be getting healthy again. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins, together with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Mary Makary, made essentially this announcement on Monday. (See the video at the top of this article.) MAHA leaders, together with the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and dairy farmers, announced that artificial colors in ice cream products will be eliminated by the end of 2027. Sec. Rollins told Fox News Digital in a statement, "Each one of these endeavors helps families make better choices and pursue healthier lives." "I appreciate IDFA members for spearheading this new initiative and finding ways to promote President Trump's Make America Healthy Again agenda," she added. Michael Dykes, IDFA CEO, said they've reduced sugar by 60% in America's schools and flavored milk, which is the No. 1 product for children. "This announcement today represents over 40 individual ice cream companies," said Dykes. "It's the single largest effort of its kind." Sec. Kennedy commended major food manufacturers that have pledged to take artificial coloring out of their foods. "With this addition today of the dairymen and the dairy food producers, we now have about 35% of the American food industry that has made commitments," said RFK Jr. He added the stats are in addition to about 35% to 40% of the food industry, which was "already organic and healthy and chemical-free." Dairy farmers from Michigan, Illinois, Idaho and Indiana were at the press conference. Schwoeppe Dairy farm owner and fifth-generation dairy farmer Sam Schwoeppe of Indiana touted the benefits of consuming whole milk. Her parents were foster parents, she said, and she personally witnessed the importance of good nutrition in her life, making it her core to her mission "to feed children." "I'll never forget one of my brothers arriving [at] our family at the age of nine with gray hair, bald patches on his head and skin flaking off his body due to a lack of nutrition," she said. "After one month of regular meals, including the dense nutrition provided by whole milk and dairy products — and of course, our regular weekend ice cream parties — he transformed into a little freckled-faced, red-headed boy," said Schwoeppe. "It is essential we consume good, wholesome food products," she added. "Products containing real dairy are the most nutritious options, and even though ice cream is decadent and has calories, it sure beats the heck out of candy and soda pop for a sweet treat." Dairy products are a good source of essential nutrients such as calcium, potassium and vitamin D, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines. Commissioner Makary also announced the FDA will be approving another natural food dye: gardenia blue. "The sickness of American kids is not a willpower problem. It's not their fault. We can do things that will make the food supply healthier, one step at a time," said Makary. In May, the FDA approved three natural-source colors in food items: galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate. The MAHA movement has spread to a number of local communities — with Stella's Homemade Ice Cream in South Carolina, plus King Cone in Plover, Wisconsin, doing away with artificial food dyes, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fresh support for ‘ham sandwich' ad ban
A leading health body has thrown its full support behind South Australia's controversial move to ban junk food ads on public transport assets, saying it's time to 'draw a line in the sand' and protect Aussie kids from unhealthy marketing. Food for Health Alliance executive manager Jane Martin, in a statement released to NewsWire, said the ban, which is now in effect, would influence diets and help pull down the 'wallpaper' of junk food ads. 'Current food marketing rules in Australia are largely voluntary and controlled by industry itself,' she said. 'They're ineffective, inconsistent and full of loopholes. 'As a result, junk food ads bombard kids everywhere they go – on social media, on billboards, on public transport, at sports games. 'It is the wallpaper in our children's lives and it shapes what kids want, what they pester their parents for and, ultimately, what they eat.' The ban prohibits a range of junk food items from being displayed on Adelaide's buses, trains and trams, including processed meats like ham. Chocolate, lollies, confectionary, desserts, ice creams, soft drinks and chips are all banned from display alongside processed meats, with the measure designed to limit children's exposure to unhealthy food and drink advertising. The ban ignited controversy in the months before its July 1 introduction, with the Australian Association of National Advertisers pushing hard against what it called a 'blanket ban'. 'As it stands, this policy bans all processed meats, which means a simple ham salad sandwich can't be advertised.' AANA chief executive Josh Faulks said in May. 'This simply doesn't make sense and the government should be making evidence-based decisions, not blanket bans that don't align with nutritional science.' The AANA confirmed with NewsWire it opposed all advertising bans for food and beverages. Health Minister Chris Picton, speaking in May, said the AANA was 'scaremongering' and 'providing misinformation about this commonsense policy'. 'It is not up to advertising industry lobbyists to tell us what can be displayed on our public transport assets,' he said. Some 63 per cent of adults and 35 per cent of children across South Australia are overweight or obese, government figures show. On Tuesday, Ms Martin said the government had made a 'smart and necessary step' that was backed by evidence. 'After similar restrictions were introduced by Transport for London, expected household purchases of unhealthy food and drinks dropped by more than 1000 calories per week,' she said. 'Other cities like Canberra, Amsterdam and New York have also adopted similar policies. 'The processed food and advertising industries have had a long, profitable run. 'But now it's time we draw a line and stop letting them promote their unhealthy products to kids on their daily commute.' She warned Australia was already lagging behind international best practice in protecting children from 'unhealthy food marketing'. 'Our kids are paying the price,' she said. 'Over a third of Australian children's daily energy intake now comes from unhealthy food and drinks, more than 40 per cent for teenagers. 'Unhealthy diets are placing children at higher risk of being above a healthy weight in adulthood and from developing type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease or 13 cancers later in life.'
Medscape
an hour ago
- Medscape
Syringe Prick Reports Spark HIV Concerns in France
Reports of unexplained needle pricks at crowded public events in France have raised concerns. During the annual Fête de la Musique on 21 June, a national music festival celebrated across France, 145 people reported being pricked with syringes in public venues, according to the French Interior Ministry. Among these reports, 21 incidents occurred in the Île-de-France region, including 13 in Paris. The cluster of reported cases has raised public concern and led to calls to the Sida Info Service (SIS), France's national HIV/AIDS helpline. In response, the organisation issued a public statement to address misconceptions and provide accurate information to both the public and clinicians. Arame Mbodje, MD, medical director of the SIS Association in Montreuil, France, noted that while many individuals contacted the organisation with concerns about potential infection following these syringe-related incidents, the route of exposure did not pose a risk for HIV transmission. She emphasised that post-exposure prophylaxis is not warranted in such cases. HIV is typically transmitted through sexual contact, exposure to contaminated blood (eg, shared needles), or from mother to child during pregnancy or delivery. Although the risk for hepatitis B virus transmission is low, it may be present in individuals who are not vaccinated. In such cases, vaccination is recommended, according to Mbodje. Stay Together, Stay Safe According to Mbodje, large-scale events, such as music festivals and public gatherings, create environments in which pricking incidents can occur unnoticed due to crowd density. These settings make it easier for individuals to be targeted without witnesses. She advised healthcare professionals to prioritise reassurance for those affected. There is no risk for HIV transmission associated with these incidents, and hepatitis B vaccination status should be checked, with immunisation offered if needed. Although concerns about drug-facilitated assault are common, toxicology tests have not detected any substances, and no cases of physical or sexual assault have been reported. Nevertheless, individuals should be encouraged to report incidents to the police. As for prevention, she noted that advising people to avoid festivals or to remain constantly alert is neither practical nor helpful. Instead, healthcare professionals should encourage individuals to attend events with trusted friends, stay together in crowded spaces, and avoid isolation. The focus should be on promoting sensible precautions without creating unnecessary fear. This story was translated from Medscape's French edition.
