Yep, I read some of the comments here, then I read the article kindly submitted to open the thread from top to bottom, and then I read all the rest of the previ

Yep, I read some of the comments here, then I read the article kindly submitted to open the thread from top to bottom, and then I read all the rest of the previous comments here. The article is more interesting than I expected from the first comments I read. Particularly interesting is the issue of whether or not earlier epidemiological studies were counting the same people over the course of their lifespan, or whether some "Hispanic" people in the United States were moving back and forth internationally, or not being counted at all in epidemiological surveillance, either of which might badly skew the figures. One question that came up in several comments is what is meant by the "ethnicity" designation term "Hispanic," which is used only in the United States for epidemiological studies like this. The Census Bureau says "The U.S. Census Bureau collects race data in accordance with guidelines provided by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and these data are based on self-identification. The racial categories included in the census questionnaire generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country and not an attempt to define race biologically, anthropologically, or genetically. In addition, it is recognized that the categories of the race item include racial and national origin or sociocultural groups. People may choose to report more than one race to indicate their racial mixture, such as 'American Indian' and 'White.' People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be of any race." http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/meta/long_RHI525211.htm http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/meta/long_RHI525211.htm In other words, we can't count on "Hispanic" people having any particular gene assemblage at the individual level and it's difficult even to assume that Hispanic people really, truly share a common culture that differs from non-Hispanic culture. There is a LOT of noise to go with whatever signal is carried by the designation "Hispanic," and people's self-designation by that term or not has changed a lot in my lifetime. But, as the article points out, there may be some good news here for people in the United States in general. "Understanding the origins of the Hispanic paradox will tell us a lot about the future of health care in the United States. And if the Hispanic advantage does have something to do with culture — with strong, supportive communities and healthy behaviors — then that is something that the rest of the country can emulate." Better understanding the long-term, steady drop in all-cause mortality in the United States at all ages[1] may help us find ways to keep that trend[2] going, further lengthening lifespans for all Americans. [1] "Why Are You Not Dead Yet? Life expectancy doubled in past 150 years. Here’s why" http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science_of_longevity/2013/09/life_expectancy_history_public_health_and_medical_advances_that_lead_to.html http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science_of_... [2] http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v307/n3/box/scientificamerican0912-54_BX1.html http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v307/n3/box...