MAN’S BEST FRIEND – Veterans with PTSD get significant benefits from service dogs, the first NIH-funded study found. A vet shares his story. Continue reading…

DEADLY BACTERIA – Health officials are investigating as a potentially fatal infection spreads in Japan. We have the latest. Continue reading…

ENERGY BOOSTERS – Experts identify the 6 most common culprits that zap men’s vitality – and offer ways to counteract them. Continue reading…

For Men’s Health Month, several doctors shared with Fox News Digital some common reasons for the decline — and tips for getting back up to speed. (iStock)

ALZHEIMER’S ANSWERS – Mayo Clinic has rolled out a new, non-invasive blood test that detects the common dementia with greater ease and accuracy. Continue reading…

TRIGGER GENE – Scientists have discovered a common genetic trait that exists in 95% of people with inflammatory bowel disease. Here’s how it could impact treatment. Continue reading…

GIVING BACK – Megan Stuart, 20, has overcome premature birth and pediatric cancer – and now the Irish dance champion is raising money for the hospital that saved her life. Continue reading…

Megan Stuart was diagnosed with stage 3 neuroblastoma shortly before she turned 5 months old. Miraculously, the chemotherapy she received as an infant does not appear to have had any lasting effects on her life.  (Courtesy of Megan Stuart/Shamrock Photography)

ASK A DOCTOR – “Why do I keep eating foods that I know are bad for me?” Continue reading…

STRONG FINISH – From shoes to smartwatches to snacks, these 22 items will keep you running comfortably on marathon day. Continue reading…

SAFER SWIMMING – Water safety experts share 8 tips for preventing drownings at the pool and beach this summer. Continue reading…

Each year, some 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths occur in the U.S., with the highest rates among children between 1 and 4 years of age. (iStock)

FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS

Fox News First

Fox News Opinion

Fox News Lifestyle

Fox News Health

Fox News Autos

Fox News Entertainment (FOX411)

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

Fox News

Fox Business

Fox Weather

Fox Sports

Tubi

WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE

Fox News Go

STREAM FOX NATION

Fox Nation

Life expectancy is expected to rise worldwide by 2050, according to findings recently published by The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

The institute cites many factors for its findings, including “declining deaths from cardiovascular diseases, respiratory infections and tuberculosis, and maternal and neonatal death.”

While the study has outlier countries with much greater gains in lifespan – Singapore tops the list with an estimated life expectancy of 88 – the region of southern Europe, despite poor GDP, has also made strides.

HEALTH EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON THE BENEFITS, RISKS OF USING CASTOR OIL FOR WEIGHT LOSS

The institute’s findings conclude that the relatively poorer southern European countries of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal will gain higher life expectancy by 2050. The world’s oldest living woman at 117, Maria Branyas Morera, is Spanish.

Despite these relatively poorer countries scoring low on GDP in comparison to their high life expectancy, they all possess common characteristics. Normally, more wealth correlates with better health worldwide.

Unlike their fellow top 20 lifespan countries in the study, like Switzerland or Denmark, health might not mean wealth for these southern European nations. 

A 2017 study reveals that Spaniards take 5,936 steps per day on average. For reference, the average American makes only 4,774 in the same study. The cultural heritage of daily movement like walking in nations like Italy and Spain may contribute to their projected high life expectancies.

People sit outdoors at a cafe in Barcelona, Spain. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Additionally, Spanish cities are built more densely populated than their counterparts. Regular social interaction could contribute to higher life expectancy. A 2023 Gallup poll among Spaniards found that just over three quarters, or 76%, reported feeling “fairly” or “very” socially supported.

Intergenerational family living is also more common among Spaniards than Americans, with the same poll reporting that 83% of Spaniards had seen “friends or family who live with you or near you” in the same week of polling.

The institute projects France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain having life expectancies in 2050 somewhere between 84 and 86 years.

All week long, Fox News Digital keeps you up-to-date on the latest wellness news — clinical trials, medical research, new medications, cutting-edge health technologies, success stories and more.

In case you missed them, here are a few of the biggest health stories from the past week.

As always, you can see a full list of recent health pieces at http://www.foxnews/health. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

1. New liver drug gets green light from FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the French drugmaker Ipsen’s medication Iqirvo (elafibranor). Doctors and patients discuss how this new option could transform the landscape of liver treatment. Click here to get the story.

2. Major Alzheimer’s study reveals protective gene

In an Alzheimer’s breakthrough, researchers identified a genetic marker that delayed cognitive decline in a high-risk family. Among 27 family members with the gene, disease progression was slowed by an average of five years. Click here to get the story.

Among more than 1,000 high-risk family members, 27 of them who have one copy of a rare gene variant — the APOE3 gene, known as Christchurch — reported delayed onset of symptoms. (iStock)

3. These 6 culprits can drain men’s energy and vitality, experts say

For Men’s Health Month, several doctors shared with Fox News Digital some common reasons for energy and vitality to decline — along with tips for getting back up to speed. Click here to get the story.

For Men’s Health Month, several doctors shared with Fox News Digital some common reasons for the decline — and tips for getting back up to speed. (iStock)

4. Promising news for Parkinson’s patients

A new blood test that uses artificial intelligence could detect Parkinson’s disease up to 7 years before symptoms. An AI health care expert discusses its potential impact. Click here to get the story.

A new blood test could reveal Parkinson’s diagnoses up to seven years before symptoms emerge, according to recent research. (iStock)

5. Expert shares swimming safety tips for summer

Each year, some 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths occur in the U.S., with the highest rates among children between 1 and 4 years of age. From choosing the right bathing suit color to installing pool alarms, these eight tips can help prevent tragic accidents. Click here to get the story.

Each year, some 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths occur in the U.S., with the highest rates among children between 1 and 4 years of age. (iStock)

6. Study reveals bad news for night owls

A recent study by Stanford University, published in the journal Psychiatry Research, found that going to bed after a certain time could lead to mental health issues. Researchers and sleep experts share the negative effects of staying up past that hour. Click here to get the story.

Not getting enough sleep has been proven to compromise mental health, according to a sleep expert. (iStock)

7. Service dogs bring ‘significant’ benefits to veterans

The first study of its kind, funded by the National Institutes of Health, looked into exactly how pairing service dogs with PTSD-diagnosed veterans improves symptoms. A veteran also shares his personal story. Click here to get the story.

Marine Corps veteran Bill Lins, a sergeant from 2004 to 2016, is pictured here with his dog, Link. Lins suffered from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury after he left the service. (K9s for Warriors)

8. Kids with obesity need ‘behavioral counseling,’ task force says

The US Preventive Services Task Force says that kids and teens with a high BMI (95% or greater) should receive at least 26 hours of “comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions.” Dr. Brett Osborn weighs in on the recommendation. Click here to get the story.

This week’s health stories included new liver drugs, sleep warnings, a new blood test for Parkinson’s, men’s energy boosters and much more. (iStock)