К основному контенту

These gaps can mean people in one neighborhood live 20 to 30 years longer than those just a mile away

These gaps can mean people in one neighborhood live 20 to 30 years longer than those just a mile away -- and the inequalities are prevalent in cities with high levels of racial and ethnic segregation, according to New York University researchers. They said their findings should be a wake-up call for city leaders nationwide.
"Your neighborhood shouldn't influence your odds of seeing your grandchildren grow up," said lead researcher Dr. Marc Gourevitch, chairman of the department of population health at NYU Langone Health System.
His colleague, co-author Benjamin Spoer, said researchers have known for a while that conditions from neighborhood to neighborhood can have "profound influence" on how long and how well people live.
"But we were surprised to see just how large the gap in life expectancy can be between neighborhoods, and how strong the link was between life expectancy and segregation, across all different kinds and sizes of cities," Spoer said in an NYU news release.
Chicago had the biggest gap in life expectancy between neighborhoods at 30.1 years. That was followed by Washington, D.C., at 27.5 years; New York City, 27.4; and New Orleans and Buffalo, N.Y., both at 25.8 years.
Scores on measures of racial and ethnic segregation in these cities were more than double the average for all 500 cities studied, the researchers found.
In New York City, for example, people living in East Harlem have an average life expectancy of 71.2 years. A few blocks away, on the affluent Upper East Side, people live to 89.9.
The nation's lowest life expectancy gap was found just outside Indianapolis, in Fishers, Ind., a city of 92,000. Its gap was 2.4 years across neighborhoods.
Others with the smallest gaps were Cicero, Ill (4.5 years); Lynwood, Calif. (4.8); Livermore, Calif. (5.1) and Meridian, Idaho (5.3). These cities were also the least segregated, researchers said.
"Each city has its own history and challenges that influence how long its residents live," Gourevitch said in the news release. "The data on life expectancy gaps are an invitation for city leaders to dig deeper into the conditions that influence health, to better target action to close these gaps, and ultimately to improve health for everyone."
The investigators said these efforts can be focused on addressing systemic segregation, adding affordable housing and improving air quality.

Комментарии

Популярные сообщения из этого блога

What age does a man become impotent?

Common Causes of Impotence Endocrine Diseases The body’s endocrine system produces hormones that regulate metabolism, sexual function, reproduction, mood, and much more. Diabetes is an example of an endocrine disease that can cause a person to experience impotence. Diabetes affects the body’s ability to utilize the hormone insulin. One of the side effects associated with chronic diabetes is nerve damage. This affects penis sensations. Other complications associated with diabetes are impaired blood flow and hormone levels. Both of these factors can contribute to impotence. Neurological and Nerve Disorders Several neurologic conditions can increase the risk for impotence. Nerve conditions affect the brain’s ability to communicate with the reproductive system. This can prevent a person from achieving an erection, people who have had prostate gland surgery can also experience nerve damage that causes impotence. Long distance bicycle riders can also experience temporary im...

Diet and nutrition

The study included more than 1,000 overweight or obese people in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain who were at risk for depression, but were not currently depressed. Excess weight is often linked with depression, the researchers noted. Half of the study participants took daily supplements containing folic acid, vitamin D, omega-3 fish oils, zinc and selenium. Half took a placebo pill. Half were also counseled about their eating habits and urged to limit snacking and follow a healthy Mediterranean-style diet. In a one-year follow-up, the researchers discovered that the supplements worked no better than the placebo in helping ward off depression. Similarly, the counseling was not effective overall, though it seemed to help prevent depression in participants who attended a recommended number of sessions. That suggests counseling works only if people get an adequate "dose" of therapy and make significant changes in their diet, according to the study pu...

Eating out could put you and your kids at risk

 You know that too much salt contributes to high blood pressure, but you might not realize how easily eating out could put you and your kids at risk. Many entrees at leading restaurants and fast food places contain almost a full day's allotment of salt, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Remember, that's 2,300 milligrams, or about one teaspoon. With many Americans eating out an average of five times a week, all that salt adds up. And the more salt you eat, the greater the odds for high blood pressure (hypertension), a major contributor to heart disease and stroke. By some estimates, the average American takes in 50 percent more salt than the daily limit, and this excess starts in childhood. Kids between 6 and 10 years of age take in 2,900 mg a day, while teens top out at about 3,700 mg. Studies done around the world have looked at salt consumption and high blood pressure. A study of 500 people, aged 18 to 40, found that the more restaura...