While life expectancy is going up overall, there are some areas of the US where it has actually decreased. It is difficult to pinpoint a single reason, but regions affected include the deep south, along the Mississippi river, in Appalachia, the southern plains, and Texas. Fried chicken is probably the first thing that comes to mind here, and people’s behavior does influence how long one will live. This report is a huge wake up call for communities that have poor health habits as part of their identity. Here’s the NYT piece that reports on the study.
Life expectancy decreases in some areas of US