Washingtonians likely to live longer than residents of most other states, study says

Washington has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the country, according to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study, which was released Tuesday, examined how life expectancy trends have changed in the United States between 1990 and 2016.

Among the 50 states, the study found that Washington is ranked ninth in life expectancy at birth for both sexes.

In 1990, the life expectancy in the state at birth for both genders was 76.8 years. By 2016, that number has increased to 80.2 years.

For males in Washington, the expectancy was 73.8 years in 1990, and grew to 78.1 years by 2016. That ranks seventh in the nation.

Females had the 10th-best life expectancy in the country in 2016, according to the study, at 82.3 years. That number is up from 79.8 years in 1990.

The Washington State Department of Health has its own assessment of the state’s health in 2018 posted on its website.

“This study showed that Washington state has made progress in reducing mortality,” state health officer Dr. Kathy Lofy said in a release. “However, alcohol and drug abuse, obesity, and tobacco use continue to pose health challenges in our communities.”

The leading risk factors for declining health in Washington in 2016 were alcohol and drug abuse, high body mass index and tobacco use, the study says.

In 2016, Hawaii had the highest life expectancy in the nation at 81.3 years, while Mississippi had the lowest (74.7 years).