Mortality stagnates in adulthood for cohorts born between 1941 and 1955

Since the end of the 19th century, mortality has tended to decline from generation to generation, but for those born between 1941 and 1955, it has stagnated in adulthood. In early adulthood, this stagnation is mainly due to an increase in traffic accidents, suicides and, for those born around 1955, to the onset of AIDS. Throughout their adult lives, the evolution of mortality is less favorable than for previous or subsequent cohorts, for almost all causes of death. Depending on the cause, mortality declines less for the cohorts born between 1941 and 1955 than for previous and subsequent cohorts, or it increases while it decreases for other cohorts. This is the case in particular for tumors, cardiovascular diseases and deaths mainly caused by alcohol or tobacco. The women of these cohorts started smoking massively in their youth, while the men are the ones who smoked the most during their lifetime. These cohorts may also be more physically or mentally fragile. In March and April 2020, these cohorts experienced a significant excess of deaths, mainly due to the COVID-19 epidemic.