I bet the main cause of early death is poverty, which leads to poor diet, poor health care, etc. Of course rich people can eat poorly, too. But they can afford healthier food and do not live in food deserts, and can afford better healthcare, and probably have paid sick leave. Also, educated people probably take better care of themselves, and earn more, so have better food choices, healthcare, and paid sick leave. If we had universal healthcare and free college, I wonder if it would even out more. Yet we would still have poverty.
@JoyfulSilence Poverty is a huge factor. As is, like you said, education. But just a few days ago there was this from the Washington Post: Republican governors in 15 states are rejecting a new federally funded program to give food assistance to hungry children during the summer months, denying benefits to 8 million children across the country.
There was also a federal program via the ACA for Medicaid Expansion to the poor that kicked off recently. 10 states are not recognizing the expansion. All Republican states with lower life expectancy. Go figure.
Oh, I was just noticing that a few red states on the map had high life expectancy.
There also seems to be a north-south divide. Maybe the southern diet is more fatty? Maybe the humidity breeds disease? Also, the south has more rural areas, which have more poverty. Yes, there is urban poverty, but this is balanced by rich suburbs. I also notice lower life expectancy for some rust belt states, likely due to poverty.
@zonavar68 No. I'm saying the opposite. States with higher gun ownership rates tend to have less longevity. Doesn't mean they're dying by gunshots. But I think it feeds in to an overall life perspective.
@zonavar68 As long as they're used responsibly they put food on the table, provide entertainment with target, trap, and skeet shooting, as well as in the defense of self and others, yes, firearms can and do prolong lives.
@NativePortlander1970 Except for suicide, right? There was a study in California of all registered gun owners. Men were three times as likely to die from suicide. Women were seven times more likely. People living with gun owners were twice as likely to die from homicide. But the point wasn't about gun deaths dude. I said it. An overall life perspective.
@SlaveEt But what about the efforts of some states to work towards cleaner water and air with stricter regulations, better medical and mental health infrastructure, more focus on outdoor activities, health education and all the other very real strides taken by some states. There's tangible actions that help achieve these results. It's no coincidence.
These are the most obese states in the country also via the CDC. A lot of crossover with the longevity map, huh? Another coincidence? Don't think so.
@Convivial lt's totally foolish to make generalizations about individuals. But when you look at the big picture, which you can do with data, there's some truth in what your saying. They keep putting the same types of people in to leadership and they keep getting the same results. I know their voters tend to be against a lot of thing but I have hard time figuring out what they're for. I guess a longer life isn't one of them.
@Ynotisay the problem as i see it is that without knowing what's available, you choose what you know, whether it's the best choice or not..i know the frog in doesn't boiling water is just a metaphor but i think there's truth behind it
@Convivial There's a whole lot of truth in that. And it comes with a certain kind of pressure for conformity. Where I jump off is when people fight against their own best interests. And then blame others for the outcome. If there was some way to require travel...
So I was born in one of the lily white states, but now live in a deep red one. So do I average them, or go with where I am now, or where I was or… 🤔🤷♂️😂
@BlueGreenGrey There's a lot of things that go in to it. It's not all on government. People make individual choices. But I do think the choices are influenced differently.
