[NormsRevenge]

A report states that life expectancy is higher among Americans living in the rural Northern Plains. (AP Graphics)

[NormsRevenge]

The 25 counties with the highest and lowest life expectancy, according to a study in the online science journal PLoS Medicine:

Highest life expectancy

County Life Expectancy

Clear Creek, Colo. 81.3

Eagle, Colo. 81.3

Gilpin, Colo. 81.3

Grand, Colo. 81.3

Jackson, Colo. 81.3

Park, Colo. 81.3

Summit, Colo. 81.3

Montgomery, Md. 81.3

Lyon, Iowa 81.3

Sioux, Iowa 81.3

Nicollet, Minn. 81.1

Story, Iowa 81.0

Carver, Minn. 81.0

Collier, Fla. 81.0

Benton, Ore. 80.9

Polk, Ore. 80.9

Fairfax City, Va. 80.9

Fairfax County, Va. 80.9

La Paz, Ariz. 80.9

Yuma, Ariz. 80.9

Winneshiek, Iowa 80.8

Morgan, Utah 80.8

Summit, Utah 80.8

Archuleta, Colo. 80.8

Gunnison, Colo. 80.8

Lowest life expectancy

Washabaugh, S.D. 66.6

Todd, S.D. 66.6

Shannon, S.D. 66.6

Mellette, S.D. 66.6

Jackson, S.D. 66.6

Bennett, S.D. 66.6

Baltimore City, Md. 68.6

Petersburg, Va. 69.6

Marlboro, S.C. 69.6

Phillips, Ark. 69.8

Coahoma, Miss. 70.1

Union, Fla. 70.2

Baker, Fla. 70.2

Mcdowell, W.Va. 70.4

St. Louis City, Mo. 70.8

Pemiscot, Mo. 70.9

Sunflower, Miss. 71.1

Crittenden, Ark. 71.1

Richmond City, Va. 71.1

Washington, Miss. 71.1

Tunica, Miss. 71.2

Tallahatchie, Miss. 71.2

Quitman, Miss. 71.2

Logan, W.Va. 71.2

Martin, N.C. 71.2

___

Life expectancy by state, according to a study in the online science journal PLoS Medicine:

State Life expectancy Rank

Ala. 74.4 48

Alaska 77.1 26

Ariz. 77.5 22

Ark. 75.2 43

Calif. 78.2 10

Colo. 78.2 12

Conn. 78.7 4

Del. 76.8 29

D.C. 72 51

Fla. 77.5 21

Ga. 75.3 41

Hawaii 80.0 1

Idaho 77.9 15

Ill. 76.4 33

Ind. 76.1 37

Iowa 78.3 7

Kan. 77.3 24

Ky. 75.2 42

La. 74.2 49

Maine 77.6 20

Md. 76.3 35

Mass. 78.4 5

Mich. 76.3 34

Minn. 78.8 2

Miss. 73.6 50

Mo. 75.9 38

Mont. 77.2 25

Neb. 77.8 16

Nev. 75.8 39

N.H. 78.3 6

N.J. 77.5 23

N.M. 77.0 27

N.Y. 77.7 19

N.C. 75.8 40

N.D. 78.3 8

Ohio 76.2 36

Okla. 75.2 44

Ore. 77.8 17

Pa. 76.7 31

R.I. 78.3 9

S.C. 74.8 47

S.D. 77.7 18

Tenn. 75.1 45

Texas 76.7 30

Utah 78.7 3

Vt. 78.2 11

Va. 76.8 28

Wash. 78.2 13

W.Va. 75.1 46

Wis. 77.9 14

Wyo. 76.7 32

___

On the Net:

Harvard data: http://www.globalhealth.harvard.edu

[NaughtiusMaximus]

As far as I can tell, drinking plenty brandy, staying sedentary for 9 months of winter, going to the State Fair and gorging on pronto pups, honey lemonade and mini donuts, will get you through to a ripe old age. Well, works for me. Yah, you betcha!

[LibWhacker]

Hawaii 80.0 1

Poi bump!

[RedStateRocker]

Currently, i believe that residents of Tehran and Damascus have the lowest life expectancies; on the order of several months if anybody in Israel or the USA develops a set of cojones

[kittymyrib]

I'll bet Asian-American women don't have nearly the lard on them that other groups do, hence their longevity.

[Fairview]

"If I were living in parts of the country with those sorts of life expectancies, I would want ... to be asking my local officials or state officials or my congressman, 'Why is this?'"

Why would your congressman know? Why assume that the government has anything to do or say about how you choose to live?

Some of the disparity in life expectancy is due to genes: for instance, black Americans, probably largely due to genetic factors, have a tendency to develop hypertension. That's not something any government in the world can change. But some of the discrepancy is due to factors that are within the control of the individual: losing weight, refraining from smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking your anti-HTN drugs as prescribed make a big difference. People choose not to do these things and then everyone is shocked and saddened when they die young.

Same thing in Appalachia. Everybody there seems to have money for cigarettes. Only the poor and uneducated smoke these days. The government is not forcing people to smoke or sit in front of the TV; that's a choice. It's not the government's duty to fix a situation that's under the control of individuals.

[Billthedrill]

So much of it is behavior-related. For example, the average Texan has a life expectancy of 76-odd years. The average Texan with a "I'm Gay, I'm For Gore, And I'm Here To Take Your Guns" bumper sticker, somewhat less.

[Cacique]

L8R READ

[Tamar1973]

He cites American Indians as another example. Those who don't live on or near reservations in the West have life expectancies similar to whites'.

Most of the reservations in the Plains are basically independent countries so they can't blame whitey for their issues, but they will anyway.

[Mount Athos]

On average, people from Hawaii have the longest life expectancy of any state in the union by far.

On average, people in Hawaii eat more spam-per-capita than any state in the union by far.

SPAM IS THE KEY TO LONG LIFE!!!
EAT MORE SPAM