Worldwide mortality changes from all causes and from cardiovascular diseases between 1968 and 1988

The worldwide changes in mortality from 35 countries, between 1968 and 1988, have been analyzed in four age classes between 45 and 85+ years and in both sexes, together with years gained in life expectancy at age one between 1967 and 1990. The most important decreases have been seen in populations with important changes in life style, primarily nutritional, such as in East Asia, Australia, Finland, Austria, France, Switzerland, Portugal, Belgium, F.R.G. and Spain. Less beneficial changes were observed in Sweden and The Netherlands. Unsatisfactory changes were observed in Norway, Denmark and especially in the East European countries. The small increase in life expectancy at age one (+1.5 year) observed in Denmark between 1967 and 1990 was situated between that of the former German Democratic Republic and of Czechoslovakia, +1.6 and +0.3, respectively. However, marked differences exist among sexes and age classes. The changes obtained for all-cause mortality in the 75-84 years age class are better than in the 45-64 years age class. All these observations cannot be explained by better medical treatment only and point towards nutrition as the most important causal factor.