England’s Life Expectancy Improvements Slowing

New research published in The Lancet Public Health shows England has seen the biggest slowdown in life expectancy improvements across Europe. While other countries continued to make progress, England’s rate of improvement declined significantly after 2011—well before the COVID-19 pandemic.   The study points to rising deaths from cardiovascular diseases as a key factor, driven by risk factors such as poor diet, high blood pressure, and low physical activity. In contrast, countries like Norway and Denmark maintained steady progress, likely supported by sustained public health efforts and policies addressing these risks.   The research also suggests countries where life expectancy improvements slowed the most before the pandemic tended to experience greater declines during 2019–21. This highlights the importance of long-term strategies to reduce health risks and strengthen population health.   Find out more in the full study here.