Description: This article is an introduction to the topic of mortality projections and their impact on social security systems. The article reviews two life expectancy graphs and overall trends in life expectancy by gender at birth and age 65 in the United States, Canada and the UK.

Description: The effect on mortality of the reduction in smoking and the increase obesity in the U.S. is estimated based on historical and projected patterns.

Description: Transcript of Session 3A from the 2008 Living to 100 Symposium discusses the use of mortality in social insurance systems in the US and Canada.

Description: This graph indicates the overall historical trend in life expectancy by gender at birth.

Description: Shows the average historical and estimated annual mortality improvement by age grouping for the three countries, both in terms of long averages and the ultimate level assumed.

Description: This is an example of male life expectancy at age 65 from the United States.

Description: This paper presents recent trends in obesity prevalence in significant population segments, including overall effects by age, gender and certain racial and ethnic groups, and discusses the ways in which obesity can influence mortality in each of these segments. It provides a synthesis of reported mortality experience relating to these behaviors by risk factors and diseases that will affect any mortality projection.

Description: The percentage of the population who are obese has grown dramatically worldwide over the last several decades, although stabilizing recently in the United States. Studies have found the effects on mortality to be inconsistent and controversial because of methodological differences and the complexity of the relationship between obesity and mortality. This paper discusses this relationship and sheds light on the likely effects of this epidemic. Issues associated with the so-called obesity-mortality paradox, where mortality experience is lower for those individuals who are overweight and in some who are obese compared with the mortality of those in the normal weight category, are examined. Although certain recently reported studies of the relationship between mortality and obesity indicate that obesity is related to a reduced percent of additional mortality, this may in part be due to the shorter average time that those currently obese have been exposed to their condition. Nevertheless, the amount of health care costs and rates of disability associated with being obese are significant, contributing to the increase in overall health care costs as they become more numerous and age. Although obesity is being addressed with a great deal of activity and publicity, they will continue to prove challenging for individuals and society to manage and overcome.

Description: From a session at the Spring meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in San Antonio, Texas, June 14-15, 2004 A brief review of how the 1995-2000 individual life mortality experience study and 2002 individual life and annuity expense study were developed, followed by key observations, interpretations and emerging trends.