TightWind is written by Kyle Baxter. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Samuel H. Preston explains why the U.S. is well below other developed nations in the life expectancy rate:

Perhaps most important, they used to be exceptionally heavy smokers. For four decades, until the mid-1980s, per-capita cigarette consumption was higher in the United States (particularly among women) than anywhere else in the developed world. Dr. Preston and other researchers have calculated that if deaths due to smoking were excluded, the United States would rise to the top half of the longevity rankings for developed countries.

His research suggests that our health statistics aren’t due to our health care system as much as assumed, but are strongly influenced by unique characteristics about the population.

(Via Greg Mankiw.)