I suppose I assume a commentator on hn should have a basic idea of how to interpret statistics.

Of course it's not a matter that last year things were good, this year things are bad.

What this signals is a "tipping point", where the continuous medical and public health improvements that have added to life expectancy (usually for those 60+)can no longer keep up with the various factors causing increased death at a young and especially middle age (how important obesity is among these is another issue).