Women in the U.S. aren't living as long these days. Can we blame it on the increase in obesity, high blood pressure, smoking and chronic illnesses related to these health concerns? One of every five American women (compared to only one of every 25 men) are dying at a younger age or seeing no improvement in life span according to a new study by researchers at Harvard University and the University of Washington. Women’s life spans are declining an average of 1.3 years in 180 counties mainly in the south and certain rural areas. The decline is not the same in all parts of the country. That raises the question: What is causing the deadly trend? And why are life expectancies not on the decline for other Western nations? "It is what you would expect to see in a developing country, not here," said Dr. Majid Ezzati, a Harvard professor and lead author of the study according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

Obviously we need to find a solution. Some of us are living longer, but the disparity in care is making a segment of the population die younger. According to an article in the New York Times, “It’s very troubling that there are parts of the wealthiest country in the world, with the highest health spending in the world, where health is getting worse,” said Majid Ezzati.

In past studies there was a gap in life expectancies between black and white Americans. Now race appears to be less of a factor than income. There also appears to be a widening gap between the health "haves" and the "have-nots" in the U.S. Geography plays a factor in health and life span. Nationwide life expectancy is increasing, but in many areas it is actually reversing due to poor health of women. And this makes me wonder why a country with so much invested in advancing healthcare could have so many women with serious health issues like lung cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Women still on average live longer than men, but the gap is narrowing.

If you want to read more about the research, the study was published in the open-access journal Public Library of Science Medicine. You can also listen to a report on this study on NPR.com.

This Momathon Blog is about mommy matters. The links provided are included to help busy moms keep up with a sampling of current news stories about mommy matters. By providing links to featured stories on other sites, I do not guarantee, approve, or endorse the information or products available on these sites.  My blog’s journal entry for the day and my blog images and photos are copyright  © Chris Olson.