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For many Ohio residents, our choice to live here comes down to it simply being home. We're here because we want to live here. But data released recently by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Ohio residents are not living as long as residents of most other states.
Ohio has the 12th shortest life expectancy in the country, based on 2021 data. Here the average lifespan is 74.5 years (77.5 years for women and 71.7 years for men). The national average is 76.4 years (79.3 for women and 73.5 for men).
So what is shortening our lives, here in this state we love?
Well, according to a report by WCMH, using National Library of Medicine information, genetics accounts for approximately 25% of lifespans. The rest is a matter of healthy lifestyle and environment.
We all know we should be eating balanced diets, drinking plenty of water, not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation if at all, exercising and keeping our weight under control. A little tougher to adjust are factors such as living in regions with higher population density, fast food restaurants and even a higher number of just the kinds of jobs on which so many rely in Ohio. WCMH's report says a 2020 study by researchers at Penn State, West Virginia University and Michigan State University found shorter lifespans for those who work in extraction industry-based jobs.
States where in 2021 the CDC found the highest life expectancies were Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. The lowest were in Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana and Kentucky. Astute readers will note those latter states are also those routinely ranked as being among the poorest.
What can we do about improving and lengthening the lives we live in Ohio? Policymakers and elected officials can get to work on growing and diversifying our economy in a way that lifts those living in all regions; and improving our access to affordable quality medical care and healthier food options.
But the heavy lifting falls on us. Better choices about smoking, drinking and exercise are a start. An effort to eat healthier -- household budgets permitting, stay hydrated and stay ahead of potential genetic conditions has to begin with individuals and families, too.
There's a lot to love about Ohio. If we do a better job of taking care of ourselves and each other, maybe we'll get to love it a little longer.