【Poor Things】

Scientists are Poor Thingspredicting that we'll live longer.

Life expectancy is projected to exceed 90 years for the first time, according to a study in the U.K. medical journal, The Lancet.

South Korea in particular tops the globe with the largest increase in life expectancy across both men and women.

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More than half of women born in South Korea in 2030 will be expected to live to more than 90 years old, an increase of 6.6 years over those born in 2010, the study says.

Men will be expected to average 84 years in the future as well, an increase of 7 years over 2010 babies.

Other countries expected to enjoy significant boosts to their longevity include Australia, France, Japan and Spain.

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The forecasted increase echoes the dramatic improvement in life expectancy from the 1960s till today -- when the average increased by 19 years between 1960 and 2014, the study notes.

Left:Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Right:Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The authors have pointed to South Korea's rocketing economy and education as a reason for the projection in life expectancy.

Fewer women smoke in South Korea than in most Western countries, and South Koreans have lower body-mass indexes, the authors added.

Left:Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Right:Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The life expectancy gap that women have over men is predicted to close in all of the 35 countries surveyed, except in Mexico, where the gap between women and men will be widened.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Most of the countries that are expecting a higher life expectancy in 2030 also have one or more public health and healthcare successes, according to the authors -- which include the prevention of heart disease and cancer, low infant mortality, low rates of road traffic injury, low obesity rates and fewer people smoking.

Notably, the study's authors highlighted the United States' high child and maternal mortality rates.

"Not only does the U.S. have high and rising health inequalities, but also life expectancy has stagnated or even declined in some population subgroups," the study says. "The poor recent and projected U.S. performance is at least partly due to high and inequitable mortality from chronic diseases and violence, and insufficient and inequitable health care."

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Topics Health