Americans Dying Younger Than People In Other Countries Wednesday, June 15 2011
Americans aren't living as long as people in many other developed countries.
A study published in the journal "Population Health Metrics" finds the U.S. life expectancy was nearly 81 years for women and nearly 76 years for men in 2007.
That means Americans only rank 37th in the world for longevity behind countries like Iceland, Japan, Australia and Canada.
Researchers also found large differences from county to county within the U.S.
In Collier, Florida, for instance, women can expect to live an average of 86 years, and men in Fairfax County, Virginia typically live to be 81.
However, parts of Mississippi have life expectancies similar to the impoverished nation of Honduras.
The study blames America's lagging life expectancy on socioeconomic factors, the quality and accessibility of healthcare, and risk factors like obesity and smoking.
(Copyright 2011 by VERTEXNews/Newsroom Solutions)
