Spain to have the longest life expectancy on the planet by 2040

BY 2040, Spain is set to overtake Japan as the country with the longest life expectancy, according to a study published in the journal Lancet.
With a predicted lifespan of 85.8 years, Spain will rise from fourth place to edge out Japan which will average 85.7 years.
In another interesting development, the United States will drop from 43rd position in the world (79.8 years) to 64th, while China will rise from 68th to 39th (81.9 years).
The United Kingdom is likely to rise up the league table from 26th place to 23rd, with life expectancy increasing from 80.8 years in 2016 to 83.3 years in 2040.
Researchers based their study around five “drivers” of average lifespans, which are all related to so-called “lifestyle” diseases: high blood pressure, alcohol intake, tobacco use, being overweight, and high blood sugar.
They also incorporated information about rates of cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS.
The World Economic Forum’s “Global Competitiveness Report” recently listed Spain as one of the healthiest countries, and it also ranks highly in its healthcare system.
With the exception of Afghanistan, the bottom 30 countries in 2040 – with projected lifespans between 57 and 69 – are either in sub-Saharan Africa or small island states in the Pacific.