Living your best life involves so much more than simply being blessed with great genes. Eating well, exercising, and making solid choices all contribute immensely to your overall health. But one key factor to consider that can impact your wellness has to do with where you live. Your surroundings play a tremendous role in achieving a happy, wholesome, and healthy life. Your community can influence your stress, anxiety, and overall well-being when it comes to commuting, traffic, affordability, job availability, cleanliness, and your town’s amenities. There are some states in the country that seem to offer it all, because life expectancy is much higher in some areas than in others in America. We found out the best places to live in the U.S. for a longer life, according to newly released research, and you’ll want to take a look at them ASAP.
Is one of the top U.S. states for longevity the place you call home? Let’s find out. Read on to learn more, and next, check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.
It’s critical to think about where you live as far as your overall quality of life, health, and longevity are concerned. After all, research published in JAMA International Medicine reveals geographic differences in life expectancy throughout counties across the U.S. are increasing. A lot of this can be attributed to a combination of behavioral, heath care, and socioeconomic factors, the research notes.
The National Center for Health Statistics recently published a report listing the life expectancy across the U.S. The data indicates the lifespan for every state in the nation, including the District of Columbia, and reflects the average age at death in 2019.
Related: This Is The Cheapest City In The U.S. To Live A Healthy Lifestyle, New Study Says
The state with the longest life expectancy as of 2019 is Hawaii, averaging 80.9 years of age (78 years of age for males and 83.9 for females). California came in second place, also averaging at 80.9 years of age (78.4, males; 83.3, females). The golden state is followed consecutively by New York (80.7 years of age), Minnesota (80.4), Massachusetts (80.4), Connecticut (80.3), and New Jersey (80.1).
Females are noted to have a longer lifespan in every state, and as far as the male population is concerned, California rates the highest at a life expectancy of 78.4 years of age. The state in the study that came in last for life expectancy is Mississippi, with an average life term of 74.4 years of age (71.2 years for males and 77.6 years for females). Second to last place is the state of West Virginia (74.5 years of age).
Interestingly, one of the top four states that reflects the highest rate of longevity, Minnesota, also took the number one spot as the most exercise-obsessed state in the U.S, according to a recent study. Coincidence? Probably not. As you will see via a study published in the Circulation journal, regular exercise is fundamental to maintaining good health and a longer life.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health performed research on the effect health habits have on one’s life expectancy, collecting statistics on more than 120,000 individuals (78,000+ women and 40,000+ women). They observed the physical activity, diet, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and body weight of women and men over 28 to 34-year periods. The study confirmed that people who maintain healthy habits simply live longer.
Related: The Easiest Way to Live Longer, Says Science
According to Harvard Health Publishing, the commonalities of longer living individuals include maintaining a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, healthy fats, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids. Also, a moderate to vigorous level of physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes daily. A healthy body weight plays a huge role in the big picture, including a BMI range of 18.5 and 24.9. There should be no smoking in the picture, as well as a very modest level of alcohol consumption.
Although there are many other contributing factors to longevity, those observed in the study who met healthy lifestyle habits lived longer than those who did not maintain any of them at all. The study concluded that good living habits can increase life as much as 14 years for women and 12 years for men, if they had started these good habits at 50 years of age.
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