I’m surprised you’re the first on the thread to hit on this. Poverty eliminates many of the bad lifestyle choices people in rich societies make - eating like pigs, taking drugs, excessive drinking, smoking like chimneys, and leading the lives of couch-potatoes - that lead to higher mortality. In addition, there are issues with the integrity of the data and, perhaps, differences in how mortality is measured.
Well here is one data point:
I am living in Vietnam at the moment. It seems in many ways, similar to other Asian countries I have been to, with a couple notable exceptions. One of the biggest, is that there is NOT a big bar scene here. It simply does not exist, except in some areas. Don’t get me wrong there are a lot of bars here, but they seem primarily focused in areas, and most of the time one really does not see one.
There are high-priced places where one can go, they are dark and have lots and lots of guys, and the staff is mostly good looking ladies.
But there is not much as far as everyday life, which centers on bars.
That is a big difference here.
This is a relatively small country, as is Cuba, with a relatively large population. And everyone seems to work.
I think this is a characteristic not of the financial success (or lack) of the countries. I think it is the system of government, keeps things like that, pushed away to a point.
Just an observation.