Summary

A new American Medical Association study shows that Americans live with diseases for an average of 12.4 years, up from 10.9 years in 2000, marking a 29% higher gap than the global average.

Mental health, substance-use disorders, and musculoskeletal diseases are key contributors.

Women in the U.S. have a larger healthspan-lifespan gap than men, with 13.7 years spent sick compared to 11.1 years for men.

The study reflects a global trend of people living longer but spending more years burdened by disease, with the U.S. leading other high-income nations in this gap.