… but they are overweight and physically lazy and spend far more on health care than any other country in the world, the U.S. government said on Thursday.

“In 2000, Americans enjoyed the longest life expectancy in U.S. history — almost 77 years, based on preliminary figures,” said the report, published on the Internet Here. “The life expectancy of men was 74 and for women almost 80.”

Many of the declines are due to better medical care and healthier lifestyles — especially a drop in the smoking rate. Cars are safer and more women start prenatal care as soon as they learn they are pregnant.

But as Americans make gains in these areas, they are endangering their health by become overweight and by failing to exercise, the report said. This is especially worrying when it comes to children and teen-agers.

The report said 61 percent of American adults are overweight and 27 percent obese, and 13 percent of children are overweight. The cause — overeating and a lack of exercise.

“In 2000, 39% of adults reported that they did not engage in physical activity during leisure time,’ the report said.

The report also noted that Americans spent $1.3 trillion on health care in 2000 — 13.2 percent of the gross domestic product. This, the center said, is “far more than any other nation.”

One-third of the money was spent on hospital care, about one-fifth in fees to doctors and one-tenth on prescription drugs.

“The cost of prescription drugs increased 15 percent a year from 1995-2000 — faster than any other category of spending,” it said.

And these costs will probably rise as the nation ages.

“As the ‘baby boom’ generation turns 65, beginning in 2011, the size of the elderly population will grow substantially, the report said. “By 2050 it is projected that one in five Americans will be elderly.”