http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?category=Sci-Tech&story=/news/2002/07/04/life_expect020704

If you want to live long and prosper, move to
 Richmond. B.C.

 Last Updated Thu Jul 4 17:51:30 2002

 OTTAWA - Canadians who live in large cities tend to live longer
 than their northern and rural counterparts, according to a new
 report by Statistics Canada.

 People in Richmond, B.C. had the greatest life expectancy at
 an average of 81.2 years -- that's almost three years longer
 than the national average of 78.3 years.

 The Richmond folks also had the lowest smoking and obesity
 rates in the country.

 The largely aboriginal region on  Nunavik in northern Quebec
 had the lowest life expectancy  at 65.4 years.

 The agency grouped together similar communities to increase
 the relevance of the comparisons. Health districts across the
 country were grouped on the basis of socio-demographic
 factors including population, average years of schooling,
 unemployment rate, average income and percentage of
 aboriginal and visible minority populations.

 The peer groups were compared based on health indicators
 such as life expectancy and health risk factors including heavy
 drinking, obesity, stress levels and depression.

 Within the peer groups, life expectancy varied between three
 and five years, the agency found.

 Income, lifestyle effects

 The researchers also found that communities with lower
 incomes and higher unemployment tended to have poorer
 health.

 "If they didn't smoke, if they exercised, if they were not
 overweight, living in poverty is still the prime determinant of
 whether they become ill," said  York University health policy
 Prof. Dennis Raphael.

 "They would still become ill at  almost twice the rate of
 wealthier and middle income Canadians." The agency said the
 report could help health officials to target their health promotion
 programs.

 In general the researchers found urban dwellers had healthier
 lifestyles.

 Northern communities were the least healthy but also the least
 stressed and depressed.

 Life expectancies in rural regions were in between the
 Canadian average and those of northern communities.

 Written by CBC News Online staff

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