Final answer:
Life expectancy has increased primarily due to advances in medical treatments and healthcare, such as immunizations, antibiotics, and drugs to control high blood pressure, as well as improvements in water and sanitation that prevent disease transmission.
Step-by-step explanation:
Life expectancy has risen in recent years largely due to B. Advances in medical treatments and healthcare. The improvement in life expectancy can be attributed to a few key factors:
- Access to clean water and proper waste disposal systems that have significantly reduced the transmission of diseases.
- Behavioral changes such as decreased tobacco smoking and precautions against sexually transmitted diseases.
- Medical advancements, including the development of immunizations for diseases like diphtheria, cholera, pertussis, tuberculosis, tetanus, and yellow fever, as well as the discovery of penicillin and subsequent antibiotics that have greatly controlled infectious diseases.
- Drugs that mitigate high blood pressure and contribute to a longer life span.
Despite the increasing prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle and less healthy food choices, these medical and public health advancements have played a critical role in extending lives.