Determinants of national life expectancy

This paper presents a multivariate cross-national analysis of life expectan cy at birth in 1990. A model of life expectancy is used which distinguishes between proximate and distal determinants, and measures the direct and ind irect effects of the distal variables. It is found that literacy, per capit a income, and access to safe water supplies have significantly positive eff ects on life expectancy. Fertility and tropical location have significant n egative effects, and per capita food consumption of animal products shows a n inverted-Cr relationship with life expectancy. Per capita health expendit ure and the urbanization rate appear to be weak determinants.