Residents of Japan, Europe, Jordan, Guam and the Cayman Islands all can expect to live longer than the average American, according to a new federal report on life expectancy trends around the world.

The Associated Press reported Aug. 12 that while U.S. life expectancy is rising, the nation ranked just 42nd worldwide in 2004, down from 11th in 1984. The study blamed obesity, lack of health insurance, and other factors for the trend, noting that other countries have improved their health care, nutrition, and lifestyles.

''Something's wrong here when one of the richest countries in the world, the one that spends the most on health care, is not able to keep up with other countries,'' said Christopher Murray of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

Life expectancy in the U.S. in 2004 was 77.9 years. Besides a relatively high infant mortality rate, racial health disparities, lack of health care, and one of the world's highest obesity rates, the U.S. also needs to address the problems of smoking in order to raise its life expectancy back into the top tier, experts said.