Re: connecting two dots obesity = reduced Life expectancy?

[Guest guest]

One aspect of the longevity study that struck me was that California

probably has the highest population of Asians, not New Jersey. We're

high on the list for life expectancy, but not at the top. Could it be

that a relatively greater portion of our Asian population consists of

refugees (Cambodians, for example) and their concomitant lower income

is associated with shorter life span?

Diane

>

> While life expectancy is surely complex and influenced by numerous

> factors two recent studies strike me as perhaps worth looking into.

>

> MS where I currently reside was near the bottom of the list for life

> expectancy while simultaneously at the top of the list for being the

> most obese state. It is not exactly newsworthy that being obese is

> unhealthy but considering these two data points together suggests a

> possible association between obesity and lower life expectancy.

>

> Of course there are other factors like income or education level that

> may also correlate and I only recall my current state rankings which

> are not high in those other metrics either. Studying the impact of

> obesity doesn't tell us much about CR, but I wonder what comparing

> the life expectancy data to regional BMI info might reveal? While I

> grew up in Bergen County NJ years ago I don't recall any oriental

> women, slender or heavy. The geographic association may be a " where

> they are living now " rather than " where they have lived " . I suspect

> lifestyle, behavior, and perhaps things like access to quality

> medical care could trump the physical aspects of geography.

>

> JR

>

[Guest guest]

Bergen county NJ is (was?) a bedroom community for NYC with excellent hospitals. While there has long been an Asian community across the bridge in NYC, I expect northern NJ to be populated with families of corporate executives and escapees from city life. Although the last time I visited Bergen county it wasn't all that country (as a kid growing up we saw wild deer in the yard).  I expect the study is demonstrating micro cultural and demographic differences rather than physical factors about the environment in a given geography, or it wouldn't be parsing out "Indian" men in SD, and "Asian" women in northern NJ who may even be minority populations where they live.WRT California, the classic stereotype is a culture of "looking good".  So. Cal probably has more gyms and health clubs, and bike paths, per square mile than anywhere I've ever visited. Even california cuisine is superficially healthier (ignoring In and Out burgers). Although distinctions remain between looking healthy and being healthy.My sense from this casual discussion is that longevity isn't strongly influenced by geography other than perhaps as a secondary cultural influence in combination with genetic and other differences. Obese people are as common at the Walmart here as they would be rare at the Ralph's in Burbank. There is probably subtle and not so subtle peer influence there to be slender. Here the obese are met with indifference and wider aisle.So IMO it still comes down to the hand we are dealt, "and" how we play that hand.JROn Sep 12, 2006, at 2:04 PM, Diane Walter wrote:One aspect of the longevity study that struck me was that Californiaprobably has the highest population of Asians, not New Jersey. We'rehigh on the list for life expectancy, but not at the top. Could it bethat a relatively greater portion of our Asian population consists ofrefugees (Cambodians, for example) and their concomitant lower incomeis associated with shorter life span?Diane>> While life expectancy is surely complex and influenced by numerous > factors two recent studies strike me as perhaps worth looking into.> .