We've all been told that our children may be the first generation to NOT outlive their parents but the life span of the average American is decreasing anyway!

Especially those living in the Deep South, Appalachia, Texas, the southern part of the Mid West and the Mississippi River Valley have seen a decrease in longevity.

According to Healthnews.com, "Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Washington used the National Center for Health Statistics' mortality data and data from the U.S. Census Bureau for the time period of 1959 through 2000. The research analyzed data on a county-by-county basis, making it the first to explore mortality per county over such large time span."

SOURCE - http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/...

Doctors in these areas of the country are seeing high increases in cancer, diabetes and heart disease, and it seem to be increasing because of obesity, lack of education, and lack of health care, amongst other factors.

The research found that the lifespan of men has decreased 4% since the 1980s and by an INCREDIBLE 19% in women!

This is frightening!

What is also disturbing is the disparity in rich and poor. Rich people tend to live longer but this research is showing that "...the gap between men in affluent areas with the longest life expectancy and those with the shortest was 9 years in 1983 but expanded to 11 years by 1999, while the discrepancy for women was 6.7 years in 1983 and 7.5 in 1999."
http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/...

Researchers think this is a sign we need to rethink the American health care system.

Well, I hope we'd draw that conclusion!

We also need to rethink our own behaviors too, and simply take better care of ourselves.