Life expectancy improvement is stalling across Europe, with England experiencing the sharpest decline, according to a new study published in the Lancet Public Health journal. Researchers blame poor diet, obesity and inactivity for the slowdown.
The average annual growth in life expectancy across 20 European countries fell from 0.23 years between 1990 and 2011 to 0.15 years between 2011 and 2019. Only Norway saw an increase. England suffered the largest decline, with improvement dropping by 0.18 years per year, from 0.25 to 0.07.
Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland also saw significant slowdowns. The study, led by the University of East Anglia, found that deaths from cardiovascular disease were the main driver of the reduced improvement after 2011, coinciding with rising BMI levels and poor diet.
During the Covid-19 pandemic (2019-2021), all countries except Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Belgium saw life expectancy fall, with Greece and England experiencing the largest drops. Countries that maintained gains, such as Norway and Iceland, had fewer heart disease and cancer deaths.
Professor Nicholas Steel, lead researcher, said: 'We found that deaths from cardiovascular diseases were the primary driver of the reduction in life expectancy improvements between 2011-19.' He added that England and other UK nations fared worst due to high dietary risks, physical inactivity and obesity.
Sarah Price, NHS England’s director of public health, called for stronger action on root causes, stating: 'We cannot treat our way out of the obesity crisis.' The study urges government policies to tackle obesity and increase physical activity.
