Life Expectancy in NoVA (Richmond, Arlington: college, living, zoning)

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Life expectancy in the U.S. varies widely by region and in some places is decreasing - The Washington Post

As they had previously, Murray and his colleagues found huge variation in life expectancy in the United States, with some of biggest extremes right around Washington. Fairfax County’s men, for example, had the longest life expectancy in the country, 81.1 years in 2007. In the city of Petersburg, 25 miles south of Richmond, life expectancy was 14 years less, and at 66.9 years among the lowest for men in the country.

The District is one of the places that has seen a big recent jump in life expectancy for a particular demographic group — black men, from 61.7 years in 1997 to 68.9 in 2007, a huge jump in demographic terms. The reason for the big increase isn’t entirely clear.

The region where life expectancy is lowest, and in some places declining, begins in West Virginia, runs through the southern Appalachian Mountains and west through the Deep South into North Texas. Places of high life expectancy are more scattered. In addition to Northern Virginia they include counties in Colorado, Minnesota, Utah, California, Washington state and Florida.

Lots to discuss here.

[Caladium]

Life expectancy for men in Fairfax County is the highest in the nation. For deer that cross the road in Fairfax County, not so much.

(Sorry, couldn't resist. Funny juxtaposition of threads this morning.)

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Life expectancy for men in Fairfax County is the highest in the nation. For deer that cross the road in Fairfax County, not so much.

(Sorry, couldn't resist. Funny juxtaposition of threads this morning.)

I don't know about life expectancy, but the fertility of the deer in this region must be too high! I see too many in the area, getting in the way of cars and causing accidents.

The funny thing about that is that I read the local deer population was pretty much wiped out by the early 20th Century, but the bright folks then running the government wanted that deer-hopping-across-the-landscape pastoral look, so they reintroduced deer from elsewhere.

Now, they are everywhere causing accidents, injuries and deaths and spreading Lyme disease. Time for a mass hunt?

[jbird82]

Pretty interesting stuff. I imagine the life expectancy being so high in NOVA is a direct correlation with the affluency of the area. The more affluent a population is, there tends to be a higher degree of health consciousness.

Also, interesting to see the life expectancy trending downwards over the country. Is this a direct result of the increase in obesity and health problems associated with it?

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by jbird82

Pretty interesting stuff. I imagine the life expectancy being so high in NOVA is a direct correlation with the affluency of the area. The more affluent a population is, there tends to be a higher degree of health consciousness.

Also, interesting to see the life expectancy trending downwards over the country. Is this a direct result of the increase in obesity and health problems associated with it?

No, the overall trend is still positive -- average life expectancy is increasing. It's just that there seem to be areas where it has declined to merit some concern.

I do think that affluence correlates well to health consciousness, but there must be other factors as well. For example, Utah is probably not that affluent as a whole, but is apparently near the top. No doubt clean living (and a family-oriented lifestyle) helps too.

I read a few years ago that Asian women in Bergen County (NJ) had the longest life expectancy in the U.S. (at 91). I wonder whether that is still true. I am sure this is but one evidence of the positive health benefits of affluence, diet, marriage/family life and, yes, good genes.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by jbird82

Pretty interesting stuff. I imagine the life expectancy being so high in NOVA is a direct correlation with the affluency of the area. The more affluent a population is, there tends to be a higher degree of health consciousness.

Yup. DC Metro area frequently tops the various lists of fittest/healthiest areas in the US. I'm a little surprised that we have longevity since a lot of people tend to move away from expensive metro areas like this when they hit retirement. You'd think life expectancy would be highest in Florida.

Maybe it means not that many people are moving away anymore. Not as many are retiring these days, and Nova is also attracting more retirees.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by jbird82

Also, interesting to see the life expectancy trending downwards over the country. Is this a direct result of the increase in obesity and health problems associated with it?

I so agree with this. It's disgusting how little people exercise these days. This whole idea that we somehow become "world class" by making all our public areas require as little walking/exercise as possible saddens me.

[chariega]

no avg. life expectancy is going up, but we're still behind other industrialized nations, unfortunately.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I so agree with this. It's disgusting how little people exercise these days. This whole idea that we somehow become "world class" by making all our public areas require as little walking/exercise as possible saddens me.

Arlington has (zoning and development issues aside) really been pushing walking and biking, even going so far as its "arlington Carfree diet" PR campaign. They have lots bike lanes to supplement the trails, and they issued a very nice brochure of suggested pleasure walks around their nabes (we have done one of those walks)

There is even progress in Fairfax - the new beltway bridges for example, are going to be more ped/cyclist friendly (my family and I can hardly wait for the new LRT bridge to be completed). IIUC they have done stuff with bike lanes as well. And of course there are big plans to make Tysons more walkable. And for a recreational focus, we have among other things the Cross County Trail, which I have posted about in other threads.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I so agree with this. It's disgusting how little people exercise these days. This whole idea that we somehow become "world class" by making all our public areas require as little walking/exercise as possible saddens me.

So people who may not have time to excerise are disgusting? So considering I have a 45 min commute each way, spend 10 hours at work, and am a full-time senior college student, who needs any rest he can get, I'm disgusting?

I think you can address our need to excerise without being nasty and rude, thank you very much.