A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrated that the rich in the United States live, on average, 15 years longer than the poor, that there is considerable community variation in lower income life expectancy and that the rich/poor life expectancy gap has been increasing.
In San Antonio, ranked 91st on the study’s list of 100 large metro areas, the early death penalty for being poor is severe: an eight-year gap between the top and bottom income quartiles. Moreover, we compare poorly with other diverse, big cities. Life expectancy for low-income people in San Antonio is three years shorter than in Los Angeles, Miami or New York City, cities with similarly large Hispanic populations but without our extreme economic segregation.
Much of recent research, including the JAMA study, is motivated by the fact that, after almost 200 years of steady increase, the average life span of Americans is declining. Back in 2009, an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Childhood Obesity – The Shape of Things to Come, predicted that the explosive rise in Type II Diabetes, growing from approximately 5 million people in 1970 to now over 22 million, would bring about a 2-5 year decline in life expectancy by mid century.
Last year, an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences presented evidence that, even among middle-aged whites, life span is decreasing.
Both national average life expectancy and variation in life expectancy across racial/ethnic, age and income groups are alarming. San Antonio should be particularly alarmed by its poor ranking, begin to seriously take steps to address local health inequities and target intervention to where it is most needed. A good first step would be to map out zip-code-to-zip-code variation in life expectancy. An excellent model for this is the Robert Wood Johnson website City Maps where life expectancy gaps of up to 14 years have been identified in some cities. Creating a local life expectancy map is important public information that the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District has the capacity to produce. It should do so without delay.
Top image: One of many food stands at the 100th Oyster Bake in April 2016. Photo by Scott Ball.
Related Stories:
In Bexar County, Less Income Means Shorter Life Span
Nutrition Summit: Turning the Tide of Type 2 Diabetes
San Antonio: A City at War Against Diabetes
I think I can answer that: Sí. The Third World exported this problem here and we didn’t complain about it when they did. So the answer has to be none other than sí.
“A good first step would be to map out zip-code-to-zip-code variation in life expectancy.”
MySA already has this map.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Here-s-how-much-household-income-is-in-your-Bexar-6713324.php
Sure, it’s labeled “median income,” but since income and life expectancy are pretty solidly correlated now, it’ll do.
If I dress like Jaylo I look like Jaylo.
How much does body image play into the acceptance of obesity?
Entirely puzzled by the title of this article, made it seem like the article would be about poor food choices. This really is about education and public resources. Until the movers and shakers in this town start investing in the low income areas then the problem will continue. Time to start spending money and resources on those areas/people instead of the gentrified areas of town. Do we really need to make a map for that?
The vast majority of adults know being fat is unhealthy, even the poor. What seems to be a bigger problem is that more and more people seem to be more accepting of fatness. san Antonians know an endless diet of flour tortillas, refried beans, barbacoa, tres leches, and big red will lead to obesity. The real question is how can we identify those who truly want to change their lifestyle and have the required fortitude. I’m cool if you want to remain fat, I just don’t want you wasting tax dollars pointlessly.