Ohio’s life expectancy lower than national average, data shows

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – Ohio ranks among the states with the lowest life expectancies in America, recently released data found.

The average lifespan in Ohio was 74.5 years old in 2021, ranking it as the state with the 12th-shortest life expectancy, according to data released in August from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national life expectancy was 76.4 years old.

In Ohio, women are expected to live nearly six years longer than men – women’s life expectancy is 77.5 years old, while men’s life expectancy is 71.7 years old. National statistics follow the same pattern, with men’s life expectancy sitting at 73.5 years old and women’s reaching 79.3 years old, according to the CDC.

Genetics, lifestyle and environment all play into how long an individual lives. About 25% of humans’ lifespans are determined by genetics. Living a healthy lifestyle by eating balanced meals, not smoking, drinking minimal alcohol, staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight can add more than a decade to a person’s life, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Environment can also play a role in life expectancy. Communities with a higher population density, more fast food restaurants and a high number of extraction industry-based jobs tend to have shorter life expectancies, according to a 2020 study from researchers at Penn State, West Virginia, and Michigan State Universities.

The states with the highest life expectancies in 2021 were Hawaii (79.9), Massachusetts (79.6), Connecticut (79.2), New York (79) and New Jersey (79). The states with the lowest life expectancies were Mississippi (70.9), West Virginia (71), Alabama (72), Louisiana (72.2) and Kentucky (72.3).

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