People in Ohio live shorter lives than those in most other states, study says. Here’s why
.png "Nursa study found the states with the highest and lowest life expectancy.")
Eating healthy and staying active are always great lifestyle choices. However, they are even more important when it comes to life expectancy because they can determine how long or short you live.
And where you live does in fact matter.
A new study by Nursa found which states have the highest and lowest life expectancy rates, by compiling data from state parks, gyms, walking routes, pools and food choices in stores. The study also looked at pollution data, smoking rates, hospital readmission rates from the CDC, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and more.
The CDC reported that the average life expectancy for U.S. citizens is 78.4 years, but unfortunately for Ohio residents, that is not the case.
Nursa ranked Ohio as the 12th state with the lowest life expectancy, living only to 74.5 years — but why? Let’s take a look:
Why do Ohio residents live short lives?
According to the study, Ohio residents have a high smoking rate, which is over 19%. Ohio residents also have a high number of unhealthy stores at 34 stores per 100k people, whereas there are only 21 healthy stores per 100k people in the state.
In addition, Ohio has a high pollution score of 8.88 out of 10, contributing to unhealthy living conditions for residents.
Let’s see how other states stack up:
What other states have low life expectancy rates?
The states with the lowest life expectancy are:
- West Virginia (71 years)
- Alabama (72 years)
- Louisiana (72.2 years)
- Kentucky (72.3 years)
Which states have residents that live the longest?
States with residents that live the longest are:
- Hawaii (79.9)
- Massachusetts (79.6)
- Connecticut (79.2)
- New Jersey (79)
- New York (79)
Are you surprised by this study? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com
