In an eye-opening new film, Dr Sanjay Gupta explores the link between stress and the continuing fall in US life expectancy. In the documentary, which premiered on HBO, Gupta speaks with scientists, affected individuals and his own family to figure out how a country that spends $3.5tn a year on healthcare could see life expectancy shrink three years in a row. In the 1960s, Americans had among the highest life expectancy in the world. Today, the U.S. ranks near the bottom of major developed nations. From acclaimed directors-producers Marc Levin and Daphne Pinkerson (Class Divide, Hard Times: Lost on Long Island and Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags), and neurosurgeon and Emmy-winning CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, One Nation Under Stress examines the reasons for this historic decline. Despite spending more on healthcare than any other country, America is experiencing decreased life expectancy. In One Nation Under Stress, neurosurgeon and investigative journalist Dr. Sanjay Gupta sets out to discover why. Driven primarily by an epidemic of self-inflicted deaths of despair — from drug overdose, chronic liver disease and suicide – this rise in the U.S. mortality rate can be seen as a symptom of the toxic, pervasive stress in America today.

One Nation Under Stress was directed by Marc Levin; produced by Daphne Pinkerson and Marc Levin; co-producers, Jackson Devereux, Ashwin S. Gandbhir, Anthony Pedone and Kara Rozansky; associate producer, Jillian Goldstein; edited by Ashwin S. Gandbhir; director of photography, Daniel B. Levin; original music by Giancarlo Vulcano. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller and Sheila Nevins.

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