While many in Texas may think they'll live on forever; the harsh truth is that Texans have been proven to have a shorter life span.

It might sound like a scene from the Barbie movie, but have you guys ever thought about dying? It sounds morbid, but I guess we have to think about it at one point or another!

According to the CDC, Texas has a life expectancy of 76.5 years. Which isn't so bad! It's not that great either.

We're not entirely in the danger zone, but we're also not in the clear entirely. And to be honest, I'm a bit more surprised that many are not living past 80 in the country.

So just exactly what is contributing to this shorter life span? There are ten factors that could play into this.

Not too long ago, we learned that Polk County in Texas had some of the highest cancer rates in the country; and while cancer does make the top ten, it's not the leading cause of death in the Lone Star state.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death among Texans. This is a stat that hasn't changed in almost ten years.

Since 2014, heart disease has ranked number one for the leading cause of death in Texas. This is super bad news for me, especially, because heart disease runs in my family.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, heart disease and stroke are part of a group of cardiovascular diseases. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.

You can find out more here. But the fact that this hasn't changed in so long means we as Texans need to start taking better care of our hearts!

EDIT: This was originally published on March 1, 2024