MINNEAPOLIS - A new study says Minnesota residents have the fourth longest life expectancy in the country, with an average life span of almost 81 years.
The Star Tribune reports that the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation published the study this week. The research ranks Minnesota behind Hawaii, California and Connecticut.
Minnesota men had an average life expectancy of almost 79 years, while women had nearly 83 years.
Healthy life expectancy is defined as years of life spent in full health. Minnesota's healthy life expectancy is about 70 years, the highest in the nation.
The study takes into consideration about 330 diseases and injuries as well as more than 80 risk factors. The study finds that smoking is the top risk factor causing death and disability in Minnesota.
