10 States Where People Die Young(er)

One of the most surprising things about the USA is the fact that there is a huge disparity in the average life expectancy from state to state. As a country the USA has an average life expectancy of 78.2 years from birth. This ranks the US as the country with the 38th highest life expectancy in the world, falling just behind Cuba (78.3) and just above Portugal (78.1). This does not mean, however, that every one in the USA will live to an age of 78.2 years, and depending on the state that you live in, you may be living for a much shorter time.

The 10 US states with the lowest life expectancy are:

Rank

State

Life Expectancy

10

Georgia

75.3 years

9

Oklahoma

75.2 years

8

Kentucky

75.2 years

7

Arkansas

75.2 years

6

West Virginia

75.1 years

5

Tennessee

75.1 years

4

South Carolina

74.8 years

3

Alabama

74.4 years

Even though it is not a state Washington DC tops the list with and average life expectancy of 72.6 years fewer than the federal average.

Life expectancy in the USA cannot be solely attributed to income disparity or social gaps, but rather the prevalence of chronic diseases in middle-aged and young adults. Factors such as drug use, infant mortality, income disparity, and violence, which were previously thought to be much more important, have come to play less of a role in determining life expectancies.

Researchers have classified 8 social or ethnic groups in the USA in terms of their life expectancy, and found that Asian Americans are expected to live 6.8 years longer than the national average, or until 85 years of age. This is a 32% longer life span than is associated with Native Americans living in South Dakota, and may say something about the lifestyle choices of the Asian population that lead them to avoid suffering from serious chronic conditions.

The second group with the highest average life expectancies in the USA is made up of an estimated 3.6 million, low income Caucasians, living in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and Montana; proving that it is not always a large income that creates a long life. This group, which researchers have dubbed “America 2” are, on average, expected to live for 79 years, still well above the federal average.

Groups 7 and 8, comprising low income rural Southern Blacks and high-risk urban Blacks respectively, are only expected to live until the age of 71. This may be due to a number of factors including the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles, high HIV/Aids rates, and violence. However, researchers point out that there is still no definitive criteria for determining exactly what will contribute to a longer lifespan, and that their understanding of this topic is still growing.

What they are sure of is, that much of the variation between different states and different ‘groups’ comes down to diet, exercise, and smoking, rather than healthcare, meaning that in order to live longer, you should take care of your self.

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November 12, 2007 | Filed Under Health Care 

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