Health Crisis Ravages Russia's Men

These were such crazy statistics that it was almost hard to believe they are real. I had no idea things were this bad in Russia.

There are so many odd and horrible ways to die in Russia that it's almost no surprise that the average Russian man isn't expected to see his 59th birthday. Men in Bangladesh live longer.

Government statistics show that the average Russian man lives 58.6 years, compared with 73 years for the average Russian woman. In 1990, life expectancy for men was 63.4 years.

The health slide for Russian women isn't nearly so dramatic. While 40 percent of all Russian men die between 16 and 59, the average life expectancy for Russian women has dropped about a year since 1990, when it was 74.

40% die between 16-59. Wow. I think that is even worse than black Americans.

Military leaders complain that most new draftees are so unfit, drug-addled or psychologically damaged that only about 10 percent are capable of withstanding boot camp.

Tens of thousands die from alcohol poisoning every year, so many that alcohol poisoning is a separate subcategory in government statistics tracking accidental deaths, along with traffic accidents and drowning.

via Seattle Times