Life Expectancy in Europe Compared to the US

Role of genetics and “race”

• Several comments reject race as a major explanation for US–Europe gaps, arguing that in large, mixed populations genetics explains little beyond specific diseases.
• Some note different ancestry mixes (e.g., Native Americans, African diaspora, Irish) but see this as secondary to social and environmental factors.
• One commenter calls the race framing a dogwhistle unless clearly specified.

Political systems, social democracy, and safety nets

• Much debate over “democratic socialism” vs “social democracy.”
• Western Europe is framed as broadly social-democratic (regulated capitalism + strong welfare), which many argue clearly outperforms the US on life expectancy and other quality-of-life metrics.
• Eastern Europe is described as still catching up from communist-era legacies and rapid neoliberal transitions.
• Switzerland is highlighted as non-socialist but with “socialist-seeming” protections (e.g., long wage replacement when ill).

Healthcare systems, regulation, and incentives

• Many think universal healthcare would close part of the gap but not all.
• Argument: when the state pays, it has strong incentives to regulate harmful foods, smoking, etc., and run public health campaigns.
• Counterargument: individuals already bear large personal healthcare costs, yet obesity remains hard to change; incentives alone may be insufficient.

Diet, food quality, and obesity

• US diet is heavily criticized: ultra-processed food, sugar, additives banned in the EU, huge snack aisles, fast food culture, frequent dining out, and “free refill” sodas.
• Some point to US food safety rankings as similar to Europe’s, but many still see EU food regulations as stricter.
• Obesity is widely seen as a key driver; some say you “can’t healthcare your way out of it.” One person calls current US life expectancy “impressive” given obesity levels.

Other mortality drivers: accidents, guns, drugs, smoking, alcohol

• US has markedly higher rates of fatal car crashes, firearm deaths (including suicides), and overdoses; these are cited as major contributors to the gap with countries like the UK or France.
• Debate over whether smokers cost the system more or less; consensus that secondhand smoke is a major harm.
• Europe generally smokes more, but specific countries (e.g., Nordics) have reduced smoking via bans and substitution products.

East–West Europe and internal inequality

• Multiple comments stress that combining Western and post-communist Eastern Europe obscures differences; Eastern countries are still converging.
• Within-country maps (e.g., Germany, UK, US) show strong correlations between low income, high smoking, alcohol/drug use, and lower life expectancy.

Comparing US and Europe as units

• Some argue it’s misleading to compare a single US national average to individual European countries, given the huge internal variation across US states (and large racial/socioeconomic spreads).
• Others counter that the US is still a country; country-to-country comparisons are valid, and Europe also has major internal diversity.

Urban design, transport, and lifestyle

• Several comments contrast US car dependency and weak public transport with European cities where many can live without cars.
• Others reply that car-centric development and fast food are increasingly common across Europe too; the difference is seen as one of degree, not kind.

Microstates and outliers

• Tiny states like San Marino, Monaco, Andorra, and Liechtenstein show extremely high life expectancy, but commenters note their special status and limited generalizability.

Research on US vs Europe life expectancy

• Linked studies show that even after adjusting for income and ethnicity, Europeans live longer than comparable Americans.
• In 1990, wealthy white Americans and wealthy Europeans had similar life expectancy; since then, Europe has continued to improve while the US has stagnated across income levels.