Community Corner

Live Long and Prosper? In Fairfax County, That's What Men Can Expect

New study shows average man will live longer here than anywhere else in United States.

By Karen Goff

Men in Fairfax County can expect to live a long life.

A new life expectancy study released Wednesday by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington looked at counties across the nation and found that men here live longer than anywhere else in the United States.

Fairfax County men are living an average of 81.7 years. Women in Fairfax came in fifth (84.4). Marin County, Calif. topped the female list with an average life expectancy of 85.0 years.
While other D.C. Metro areas' highly educated, relatively healthy living population finished strong (Arlington County: 79.7 years for men; 83.3 for women; Loudoun County: 79 years for men; 82.2 for women), overall the U.S. is falling behind other countries, researchers said.

“We are finally able to answer the question of how the U.S. fares in comparison to its peers globally,” Christopher Murphy, IHME Director and one of the paper’s co-authors, said in a news release.

“Despite the fact that the U.S. spends more per capita than any other nation on health, eight out of every 10 counties are not keeping pace in terms of health outcomes. That’s a staggering statistic.”

The researchers said relatively low life expectancy in the U.S. cannot be explained by the size of the nation, racial diversity, or economics. They say preventable risk factors such as obesity and tobacco are having an impact on early death rates.

No word on how Beltway stressors such as traffic and high cost of living are affecting area folks, though.

To see the entire study, including how the U.S. compares to other nations and the locations of the lowest life expectancies in the country, click here.r

What do you think of this study's results? What do you do to try and ensure a long and healthy life? Tell us in the comments.

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