American Life Expectancy Increased For First Time In 4 Years, CDC Says

BOSTON (CBS) -- In 2018, life expectancy increased for the first time in four years, according to the Centers of Disease Control. The average American can now expect to live about 78.7 years, up 0.1 years from the year before.

The rise is largely due to a drop in overdose deaths by 4%, but also from fewer deaths from several other leading causes of death, including heart disease and cancer.

While cautiously optimistic, public health officials worry that this slight uptick in life expectancy might be an aberration. For example, while deaths from heroin and prescription drugs have fallen, those from cocaine and synthetic opioids like fentanyl have risen.

Only time will tell.