US life expectancy tops 78 as top diseases decline
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 11:56
in Health & Medicine
(AP) -- For the first time, U.S. life expectancy has surpassed 78 years, the government reported Wednesday. The increase is due mainly to falling mortality rates in almost all the leading causes of death, federal health officials said. The average life expectancy for babies born in 2006 was about four months greater than for children born in 2005.