Life is a precious gift, yet we often take it for granted, assuming there's always more time to pursue dreams, express love, or mend relationships. However, life is unpredictable, and its fleeting nature reminds us to cherish every moment and live fully today. Embracing gratitude for the time we have can transform our experiences and the legacy we leave behind.
Recent conversations with patients have reinforced this truth: too often, we overlook our mortality, believing there will always be time to prioritize our dreams or well-being. It's easy to hear average life expectancy figures and think, "I’ll wait until retirement," or "I’m just too busy right now." But life has a way of surprising us, and the reality is that time is never guaranteed. Postponing your passions, delaying meaningful connections, or neglecting your health today could mean losing the opportunity altogether. By embracing the fleeting nature of life, we gain clarity to focus on what truly matters—living fully, deeply, and intentionally. To explore this further, I’ll delve into two essential concepts: Life Expectancy and Survival Rates.
Article Index
Life Expectancy vs. Survival Rates: Understanding Time
Life expectancy provides an average age that individuals within a population are expected to live, factoring in all causes of death across the lifespan. However, survival rates tell a different story, showing the proportion of people still alive at specific ages. These two concepts highlight an important reality: while life expectancy may seem generous, survival rates remind us that many may not reach these averages, meaning we often have less time than we think.
In 2024, the average life expectancy for males is approximately 76.3 years in the United States and 83.11 years in Canada, while for females, it is 81.1 years in the United States and 87 years in Canada. As of 2024, Canada ranks 14th globally while the United States ranks 46th in life expectancy.
Survival rates indicate the percentage of individuals within a population who remain alive at specific ages. The following survival rates for males and females in the United States and Canada represent general trends derived from historical and contemporary life tables, providing a broad view of longevity. While these figures reflect common patterns, they are approximations and may differ based on data sources, methodologies, and individual factors.
Survival Rates for Males (USA & Canada):
At age 20: 98.7% are still alive in the USA, 98.9% in Canada.
By age 30: 98.0% are still alive in the USA, 98.5% in Canada.
At age 40: 96.5% are still alive in the USA, 97.5% in Canada.
By age 50: 93.0% are still alive in the USA, 95.0% in Canada.
At age 60: 86.0% are still alive in the USA, 90.0% in Canada.
By age 70: 74.0% are still alive in the USA, 80.0% in Canada.
At age 80: 50.0% are still alive in the USA, 60.0% in Canada.
By age 90: 20.0% are still alive in the USA, 30.0% in Canada.
Survival Rates for Females (USA & Canada):
At age 20: 99.0% are still alive in the USA, 99.2% in Canada.
By age 30: 98.5% are still alive in the USA, 98.8% in Canada.
At age 40: 97.5% are still alive in the USA, 98.0% in Canada.
By age 50: 95.0% are still alive in the USA, 96.5% in Canada.
At age 60: 90.0% are still alive in the USA, 93.0% in Canada.
By age 70: 80.0% are still alive in the USA, 85.0% in Canada.
At age 80: 60.0% are still alive in the USA, 70.0% in Canada.
By age 90: 30.0% are still alive in the USA, 40.0% in Canada.
Why These Numbers Matter
Life expectancy may offer a hopeful average, but survival rates reveal a more sobering truth about longevity. In the United States, while the average male life expectancy is 76.3 years, only 74% of males actually reach age 70, and just 50% live to see age 80.
These numbers underscore a powerful reality: survival rates expose the true challenges of aging—chronic illnesses, accidents, and the impact of lifestyle choices. Life is fleeting, and how we live today shapes not only the length of our lives but also the depth of our experiences. The decisions we make now determine whether our years are simply counted or genuinely meaningful.
Empowering Health: Thriving Beyond Survival Rates
Each day offers a powerful chance to shape your health and create a life full of vitality and purpose. Studies show that adopting a nutrient-rich diet, staying active, and managing stress can add over a decade to your life expectancy while enhancing mental clarity and resilience. These choices are not just about longevity; they are about crafting vibrant, meaningful years that allow you to thrive. Survival rates remind us that reaching 80 or 90 isn’t guaranteed, but the decisions you make today can profoundly influence your ability to live well into later years.
How We Can Help
Our goal is to empower you to achieve your health and life goals through a comprehensive, personalized approach. Customized exercise programs are designed to build strength, endurance, and mobility, helping you stay active and resilient. Manual therapy provides a powerful solution for chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) issues by relieving pain, restoring function, and enhancing neuromuscular systems. Combined with anti-inflammatory nutrition, mindfulness techniques for stress management, and sleep optimization, these strategies work synergistically to activate protective genes, reduce chronic disease risk, and foster overall well-being. We’re here to help you achieve your goals so you can embrace your passions and truly thrive.
"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." – Eleanor Roosevelt
References
Statistics Canada. (2023). Life Tables, Canada, Provinces and Territories. This publication provides comprehensive life tables, including life expectancy and related estimates by age and sex for Canada and its provinces and territories. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/84-537-X
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2023). National Vital Statistics Reports: United States Life Tables, 2021. This report presents complete period life tables for the United States by Hispanic origin and race and sex, based on age-specific death rates in 2021. Retrieved from https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/132418
World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). Global Health Observatory: Life Expectancy at Birth (Years). This dataset provides life expectancy at birth values from the United Nations, corresponding to mid-year estimates. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/life-expectancy-at-birth-%28years%29
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). (2023). Life Expectancy at Birth. This indicator examines the number of years a person would be expected to live, starting at birth, based on mortality statistics for a given period. Retrieved from https://www.cihi.ca/en/indicators/life-expectancy-at-birth
United Nations Population Division. (2022). World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. This dataset includes survival rates and life expectancy data across countries, allowing for direct comparisons between Canada and the USA. Retrieved from https://population.un.org/wpp/
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DR. BRIAN ABELSON, DC. - The Author
With over 30 years of clinical practice and experience in treating over 25,000 patients with a success rate of over 90%, Dr. Abelson created the powerful and effective Motion Specific Release (MSR) Treatment Systems.
As an internationally best-selling author, he aims to educate and share techniques to benefit the broader healthcare community.
A perpetual student himself, Dr. Abelson continually integrates leading-edge techniques into the MSR programs, with a strong emphasis on multidisciplinary care. His work constantly emphasizes patient-centred care and advancing treatment methods. His practice, Kinetic Health, is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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