health and wellness
Rural Americans don’t live as long as those in cities − new research
Rural Americans, especially men, face shorter life expectancies compared to urban dwellers due to higher rates of chronic conditions and limited healthcare access. Education disparities significantly contribute to these health inequities, influencing lifestyle choices and economic stability.
Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, University of Southern California; Bryan Tysinger, University of Southern California, and Jack Chapel, University of Southern California
Rural Americans – particularly men – are expected to live significantly shorter, less healthy lives than their urban counterparts, according to our research, recently published in the Journal of Rural Health.
We found that a 60-year-old man living in a rural area is expected on average to live two fewer years than an urban man. For women, the rural-urban gap is six months.
A key reason is worse rates among rural people for smoking, obesity and chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease. These conditions are condemning millions to disability and shortened lives.
What’s more, these same people live in areas where medical care is evaporating. Living in rural areas, with their relatively sparse populations, often means a shortage of doctors, longer travel distances for medical care and inadequate investments in public health, driven partly by declines in economic opportunities.
Our team arrived at these findings by using a simulation called the Future Elderly Model. With that, we were able to simulate the future life course of Americans currently age 60 living in either an urban or rural area.
The model is based on relationships observed in 20 years of data from the Health and Retirement Study, an ongoing survey that follows people from age 51 through the rest of their lives. Specifically, the model showed how long these Americans might live, the expected quality of their future years, and how certain changes in lifestyle would affect the results.
We describe the conditions that drive our results as “diseases of despair,” building off the landmark work of pioneering researchers who coined the now widely used term “deaths of despair.” They documented rising mortality among Americans without a college degree and related these deaths to declines in social and economic prospects.
The main causes of deaths of despair – drug overdoses, liver disease and suicide – have also been called “diseases of despair.” But the conditions we study, such as heart disease, could similarly be influenced by social and economic prospects. And they can profoundly reduce quality of life.
We also found that if rural education levels were as high as in urban areas, this would eliminate almost half of the rural-urban life-expectancy gap. Our data shows 65% of urban 60-year-olds were educated beyond high school, compared with 53% of rural residents the same age.
One possible reason for the difference is that getting a bachelor’s degree may make a person more able or willing to follow scientific recommendations – and more likely to work out for 150 minutes a week or eat their veggies as their doctor advises them to. https://www.youtube.com/embed/_WzwHJbAGVc?wmode=transparent&start=0 Rural communities are increasingly hampered by their lack of access to health care.
Why it matters
The gap between urban and rural health outcomes has widened over recent decades. Yet the problem goes beyond disparities between urban and rural health: It also splits down some of the party lines and social divides that separate U.S. citizens, such as education and lifestyle.
Scholarship on the decline of rural America suggests that people living outside larger cities are resentful of the economic forces that may have eroded their economic power. The interplay between these forces and the health conditions we study are less appreciated.
Economic circumstances can contribute to health outcomes. For example, increased stress and sedentary lifestyle due to joblessness can contribute to chronic health issues such as cardiovascular disease. Declines in economic prospects due to automation and trade liberalization are linked to increases in mortality.
But health can also have a strong influence on economic outcomes. Hospitalizations cause high medical costs, loss of work and earnings, and increases in bankruptcy. The onset of chronic disease and disability can lead to long-lasting declines in income. Even health events experienced early in childhood can have economic consequences decades later.
In tandem, these health and economic trends might reinforce each other and help fuel inequality between rural and urban areas that produces a profoundly different quality of life.
What still isn’t known
It should be noted that our results, like many studies, are describing outcomes on average; the rural population is not a monolith. In fact, some of the most physically active and healthy people we know live in rural areas.
Just how much your location affects your health is an ongoing area of research. But as researchers begin to understand more, we can come up with strategies to promote health among all Americans, regardless of where they live.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, James Irvine Chair in Urban and Regional Planning and Professor of Public Policy, University of Southern California; Bryan Tysinger, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of Southern California, and Jack Chapel, Postdoctoral Scholar in Economics, University of Southern California
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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(Family Features) If you have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, a clinical trial may be an option for you. Clinical trials are necessary for finding new ways of preventing, detecting or treating these diseases and others. To learn more about inflammatory bowel disease clinical research, visit crohnscolitisfoundation.org/clinical-trials-community and consider resources from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation that can provide information on types of clinical trials, what to expect when participating in a clinical study, questions to ask your doctor, stories from clinical trial participants, how to find a clinical trial and more.
SOURCE:
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
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Hardcore sports nutrition company debuts epic superfood drink mix, Big Greens, at The Arnold Sports Festival
PORT COQUITLAM, BC /PRNewswire/ — Fit Foods Ltd., a leading Canadian-based sports nutrition company in the bodybuilding and fitness industry for those born different, knows what drives the hardcore. Those who live for the iron—wrapping their hands around the weights, prepping for the set, grinding out the reps, and scaring their best into submission—aren’t content with average. They bring a relentless, hardcore attitude because it fuels their existence. They stand out in the crowd, united by muscle, and they’re hungry for more. MUTANT gets it. That’s why they craft serious supplements and quality apparel with kick-ass purpose, built solely for those who refuse to settle. And now, they’re unveiling their latest weapon: Big Greens, debuting at The Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio.
Big Greens is an epic superfoods drink mix that isn’t for the faint-hearted. Big Greens is the greenest greens on the market, engineered to support immune system function, muscle recovery, proper muscle contractions, and a reduction in oxidative stress—because those who live this lifestyle demand more than the basics. Available in two bold flavors, Berry Good and Just Chocolate, it packs a high-dose punch with key ingredients like spirulina, KSM-66® ashwagandha, DE111® probiotic, and over 40 superfoods. This is manufacturer-direct, multi-award-winning innovation from a team that lives the grind just as fiercely as their fans.
“Your mother always told you to eat your greens, so we made the greenest greens out there: easy, quick, and built for you to drink alone or stack with your favorite protein powder. This isn’t some watered-down drink mix — just look at the label — it’s for those who dominate and who push their limits in the gym and beyond,” said MUTANT President and CEO Jim McMahon. “They don’t just train, eat, and sleep—they attack every rep to be their best. Big Greens is built for them and to harness their discipline in a convenient way that also helps with better recovery.”
Fans eager to step up can visit MUTANT at The Arnold Sports Festival, booth 1245, to learn more, sample Big Greens, and enter for a chance to win epic prizes. They can also join a special meet-and-greet with Mitchell Hooper, the 2x Defending Arnold Strongman Champion and Strongest Man on Earth, on Sunday at 10 a.m. Big Greens hits shelves in May 2025, available online and at select retailers nationwide, including GNC stores. Each 10.4-ounce bottle delivers 30 servings of pure intensity, featuring innovative blends like 4,525 mg of Land & Sea Greens Giga Blend, 1,239 mg of Superfood Phyto Blend, 821 mg of Daily Reset Blend, and 725 mg of Pre and Probiotics / Digestive Blend.
For those born different, born hardcore, MUTANT’s got their back. Visit www.mutantnation.com for more on Big Greens and the MUTANT lifestyle.
About Fit Foods Ltd
Fit Foods Ltd, a world-class manufacturer of sports nutrition proteins and other supplements, specializing in powders. Its extensive variety of products and formulas has earned it international recognition for superior-tasting quality products and has resulted in a leading position in the marketplace. Fit Foods brands are distributed worldwide in 70+ countries. Its Canada based manufacturing facilities are GMP compliant, NHP site licensed (#300341), CFIA licensed (4420), US FDA licensed, and Certified Organic by PACS (#16-463). MUTANT is one of the companies most beloved brands.
SOURCE Fit Foods Ltd.
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(Family Features) A walk isn’t just good for your body; it’s a simple, powerful way to care for your mind and soul. Physical activity, like walking, reduces stress, boosts mood and promotes overall well-being. Yet physical activity levels in the United States continue to decline, a trend threatening both mental and physical health.
Less than half of adults and fewer than 1 in 5 children in the U.S. get the recommended amount of physical activity needed for heart health, according to the American Heart Association’s 2025 Heart & Stroke Statistical Update.
National recommendations call for children to get at least one hour of physical activity each day, but the latest statistics show less than 19% of children in the U.S. achieve that target. Meanwhile, less than half of adults get the recommended 150 minutes or more of weekly physical activity.
What’s more, according to data from a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1 in 4 U.S. adults sits for longer than eight hours each day, which can have negative consequences on physical and mental health.
For decades, the American Heart Association has championed the importance of physical activity in communities across the country through events like National Walking Day on Wednesday, April 2. These tips and information can help you understand how a brisk walk can make a world of difference for heart health and mental clarity.
Benefits of Physical Activity
Staying active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy.
The physical health benefits may be obvious, but research suggests physical activity can also help bring more joy to your life. According to the 2019 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, people who get the recommended amount of physical activity are less likely to experience depression.
Regular physical activity enhances your mood, sharpens your mind, improves sleep and boosts overall well-being, all while reducing the risk of disease and depression and increasing both the quality and longevity of life.
How to Be More Physically Active
Exercise as simple as a brisk walk can put a major spring in your step. It can even energize you to finish other tasks at hand, whether it’s cooking or running errands. Give your daily physical activity level a boost with these tips:
- Exercising outdoors is a great way to get moving. Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce stress, promote a sense of belonging and improve mood. It’s even better if you can enjoy the sunshine outside, which can improve mood, boost your immunity and help you get some vitamin D.
- Invite a family member or friend along with you. It’s good for them, it’s good for you and it’s good company all around.
- Instead of wondering if you’ll move today, explore how you’ll move. A walk, a dance or a stretch all count.
Getting Pets Involved
Pets are part of your family, and they can help you get healthy together. Pets provide a fun reason to spend more time outside and get the exercise needed to reduce the risk of disease later in life.
Getting moving along with your pet adds more exercise to your routine, which means living longer, reducing risk of dying from heart attack or stroke, reducing risk of diabetes, reducing stress and even boosting your overall happiness and well-being.
Exercising with your pet can also mean enjoying more socializing. You may find yourself meeting other dog owners in your area on a walk or at the dog park.
Learn more about how simple habits like walking can support your overall health at heart.org/MoveMore.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
American Heart Association
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