Dan Buettner, an American author, explorer and longevity researcher who first coined the term `` blue zone,'' embarked on a mission to find out how people are living to 100 in certain parts of the world. The leading causes of death have changed dramatically since America's founding 250 years ago, highlighting how far medicine has come. The matter has quickly moved to the forefront of national discussion.

Clinical Context

To put this in perspective, analysts point to a number of relevant factors.

5 OF AMERICA'S GREATEST MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS REVEALED AS THE NATION MARKS 250 YEARS `` Our life expectancy as a country escalated from roughly 30 years at the time of the country ’ s founding to close to 80 years today.''

The leading causes of death have changed dramatically since America's founding 250 years ago.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, ( Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Although there were no official domestic mortality records in 1776, historians agree that the following illnesses were responsible for the largest number of deaths.

What Doctors Say

Those with expertise in the area say the timing of this development is particularly notable.

The data points to the following leading causes of death in the 1900s.

At the same time, nearly one-third of all deaths were caused by pneumonia, tuberculosis and diarrheal diseases, and regarding 30 % of all deaths occurred in children younger than age 5, records show.

Adding further dimension to the story, as a result, deaths from cholera, dysentery and typhoid fever fell dramatically.

Public Health Impact

The story's impact will be felt at multiple levels — local, national, and beyond.

A recent analysis by the Domestic Cancer Institute found that prevention and screening accounted for about 80 % of the cancer deaths averted over the past 45 years for five major cancer types.

Against this backdrop, advances in childbirth — including prenatal care, Cesarean sections, blood transfusions, antibiotics and neonatal intensive care — also dramatically improved maternal and infant survival compared with colonial America.

Adding further dimension to the story, the use of CPR, defibrillators, coronary care units, bypass surgery, stents, statins and blood pressure medications helped to reduce cardiovascular deaths, according to the American Heart Association.

According to those with knowledge of the situation, in a vast contrast to 1776, chronic diseases now account for most American deaths, given that people generally live long enough to develop them.

Alongside the primary story, cLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Current U.S. health data shows that the following conditions are now the leading causes of death.

What Comes Next

The developments detailed here represent only the latest chapter in an ongoing story. As more information becomes available, the full picture is expected to come into sharper focus for those following the situation.