The Daily News reports that that while the average New Yorker can expect to live to the ripe age of 77.4 years, our fellow Brooklynites may kick off at 76.7. This is based on a Harvard study which also found that within Brooklyn, black men had the shortest lifespan (average of 71.1 years) while Asian women lived the longest (88.9 years). The News quotes a doctor with a large Chinese patient base who lists some reasons why Asians stick around, including a diet rich with fiber, fresh fish and vegetables. He also mentions that older Asians are likely to not have smoked, drank or have had casual sex, leading to a long, long life. The bad news is that Americanized Chinese folk, having adopted the dining and exercise habits of their new countrymen, are likely in the same boat as other unhealthy Americans. So why do people in Brooklyn live 7 whole months shorter than the average New Yorker? Dr. Karen Benker, a doctor at Downstate Medical Center, a major Brooklyn hospital, suggests that the additional stress that comes from being "at the bottom of a society" may shorten one's life. The average Queens dweller lives the longest (79 years).
+ You can calculate your own life expectancy here (we scored 88.6 years).
+ Jeanne Calment holds the world record for longevity, having lived in France from 1895 1875 until 1997 - an amazing 122 years! And 122 years is now considered the human lifespan - which is set based on the longest documented life ever lived.
"Brooklyn Bridge Tower" by dustin3000 via Flickr .
