2012.03.18 19:23
by Miriam Weiner, U.S. News & World Report,Mar 9, 2012 In 1513, Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León set sail in search of Bimini, a mythical land said to house a spring that restored youth to anyone who drank from it. After scouring the Caribbean and Florida, he returned empty-handed, and the Fountain of Youth remained undiscovered. Perhaps he was just looking in the wrong place. As part of their data collection for the World Factbook, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) combs through death certificates, recording race, gender, cause of death, and other factors to estimate the life expectancy of a nation's entire population. Calculating the average life expectancy of the world's total population at 67.59 years, the CIA has determined which societies live longer. In the United states, average life expectancy is 78.49 years, well above the world's norm. Many experts attribute this to ongoing medical developments, which have dealt with conditions that used to mow us down early. Meanwhile, nations without advanced medical care report a much shorter life expectancy. For instance, citizens of the Republic of Chad in central Africa are only expected to live until their late 40s. Despite the fact that the average American lives into his or her late 70s, the United States ranks 50th on the CIA's life expectancy list. According to the World Factbook, these 10 nations seem to have discovered the secret to longevity--no magical spring water required. 10. Italy Average Life Expectancy: 81.86 years Italians live an average of 3.37 years longer than Americans. Many experts draw a connection between their longevity and diet--which is more than just pasta, meat, and cheese. 9. Australia Average Life Expectancy: 81.90 years Australia's long life expectancy can be attributed to several factors, including relatively low smoking and obesity rates, as well as an active lifestyle enjoyed by its citizens. But many Australian medical experts insist that the secret to Aussies' longevity is universal healthcare. 8. Hong Kong Average Life Expectancy: 82.12 years Hong Kongers can expect to live nearly four years longer than Americans. Like Italians, people from Hong Kong can partly attribute their longer lives to their diet--rice, vegetables, and tofu are staples--and active lifestyle. Hong Kong reports a much lower obesity level than the United States does, as well as fewer instances of obesity-related health conditions, like diabetes. 7. Guernsey Average Life Expectancy: 82.24 years This small island in the English Channel is not a member of the United Kingdom or the European Union, despite being a British crown dependency. 6. Andorra Average Life Expectancy: 82.50 years Several factors may explain why Andorrans outlive residents of other countries. First, this tiny nation, sandwiched between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains, promotes an active, outdoor lifestyle. Residents have easy access to hiking trails and ski resorts, while clean and well-maintained parks are often used for friendly games of soccer and rugby. Its citizens spend lots of time outside, which experts say can lower 5. San Marino Average Life Expectancy: 83.07 years Europe's third smallest state--behind Vatican City and Monaco--and the world's oldest republic has a life expectancy that trumps the United States by 4.5 years. Money plays a major role here, as it does in both Guernsey and Andorra, but another key ingredient could be the nation's work environment. This enclave on the Italian peninsula didn't rake in its riches through manual labor. San Marino's primary industries are banking and tourism, with the majority of the Sammarinese working in office settings. 4. Singapore Average Life Expectancy: 83.75 years A sound diet and a clean environment contribute to the longevity exhibited by the population of this fast-paced city-state, located on the southern edge of the Malay Peninsula. 3. Japan Average Life Expectancy: 83.91 years Japan boasts an impressive obesity rate: 3.1 percent compared with 33.9 percent in the United States. Much of the credit is owed to the Japanese diet, which revolves around fresh vegetables, rice, and most importantly, fish. Fresh fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote healthy blood pressure levels and reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids encourage healthy brain function, helping prevent diseases like Alzheimer's. The Japanese also make healthier lifestyle choices: They tend to walk more and not overeat. 2. Macau Average Life Expectancy: 84.43 years Like several other nations on this list, Macau can attribute its high life expectancy, at least somewhat, to its fruitful economy. But why this tiny nation in the South China Sea is so prosperous might surprise you: Gambling is its main source of revenue, and 70 percent of the money generated on the casino floor is reportedly invested by the Macau government in public healthcare. The island boasts a variety of casinos, many of which are owned by the same bigwigs who gave Las Vegas its "Sin City" reputation. In January 2012, Macau welcomed 2,461,640 visitors looking to test Lady Luck. 1. Monaco Average Life Expectancy: 89.68 years Residents of Monaco live, on average, 5.25 years longer than the second longest-living nation, Macau; that's approximately a decade longer than the average American. Monaco shares several aspects with other long-living nations, including an abundance of wealth and state-funded healthcare. |
2012.03.19 03:09
2012.03.19 03:45
이종구 교수님의 article에 의하면:
.... 통계청 자료에 의하면 한국의 평균 수명은 남자가 77세, 여자가 84세,
남녀 평균이 80.4세로 미국과 영국을 능가하여 세계에서 9번째 장수국이 되었다.
그리고 70세가 된 한국인의 기대여명은 남자가 13년, 여자가 17년이다....
본인이 이 자료를 Quote 한적이 있어서 기억에 납니다.
이 article은 2011-12-19 자로 나와있지만 통계자체는 더 오래된것일것입니다.
(아마 around 2000 AD at the turn of century)
따라서 오늘 현재는 더 증가되었을 가능성이 높지요.
Considering the Korea when we left, this is not bad at all !!
Knowing that 78.49 (It was 78.1 in 2009) is the average life expectancy in USA,
Should we abandon U.S. and move to Korea ??
We need every frigging seconds of life time for us. ㅎ, ㅎ, ㅎ.
2012.03.19 11:37