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FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. If you live in Fairfield County, chances are your wallet may be thicker than those of people anywhere else in the state. But it's not the best place in Connecticut to live a long life, breathe fresh air or stay sober.
Living in Fairfield County means you are more than twice as likely to be an alcoholic or heavy drinker than in other counties across the country. And air pollution in Fairfield County is worse when compared with state and national benchmarks. Those are among the findings of a study released recently by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Fairfield County ranks third out of the state's eight counties for people living until age 75 and older, with Tolland County ranked first, followed by Middlesex County, according to the study.
But Fairfield County is well ahead of the country in longevity, beating national benchmarks by a "considerable margin," said Bridget Booske, senior scientist at the institute and deputy director of its County Health Rankings study.
The institute, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has released health reports for the second year on every county in every state in the nation based on data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Census and other federal databases.
"Overall, Fairfield County is a fairly healthy place to live, but there is a lot of room for improvement and issues that need to be addressed," said Booske.
"Living in a more affluent area contributes to longevity ... but being wealthy is not the only factor and it does make people more prone to being alcoholics," she said. A total of 20 percent of adults in Fairfield County reported either binge drinking or drinking heavily, she said. That is slightly more than the state average of 18 percent but more than twice the national average of 8 percent.
"That is a big problem across Connecticut," Booske said. "But it is at its worst in Fairfield County."
The 2011 study uses data over a three-year period, with its most recent information compiled up until 2007.
Though some people were surprised by the findings, others said they were trying to live healthier lifestyles.
"I used to be a smoker, because in Europe everybody smokes," said Pascal Fuchs, 41, a native of France who now lives in Fairfield. "But when I came here, my friends told me, 'No one does that here.' So I decided to get back into running and training."
Now a triathlete, Fuchs said he's been running for 15 years. With his daughter Claire, 4, he was at Fairfield Ludlowe High School's track Friday night, helping prepare for her first competitive race a 100-yard dash.
"You just feel awesome," Fuchs said of his regular running.
Westport's Marion Carlson, 77, was walking her pet Labrador along Compo Beach on Saturday. She said she has never been a runner and "probably drinks too much" but doesn't worry about her health.
"Well, I already made it to their (75-year-old) benchmark," she said, referring to the study. "And I don't always do what the doctor tells me. But I don't do anything crazy, and I feel pretty good."
Carlson added, "It does surprise me Fairfield County isn't where people live the longest. We have such high standards in terms of medical care that most people around here can afford pretty well. I see a lot of people jogging."
Though important, having money and practicing good health behaviors do not guarantee a long life, according to the study.
One of the more disturbing findings was Fairfield County's four "air pollution-particulate matter days" and 14 "air pollution-ozone days" compared with the national norms of zero, the study states.
"Where we live matters to our health," the study said. "For the second year in a row, counties can get a snapshot of how healthy their residents are by comparing their overall health and the factors that influence their health with other counties in their state."
What are you doing to live longer? Let us know in a comment below.
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