US Hispanics 'outlive whites'

American Hispanics outlive whites by more than two years and blacks by more than seven, according to the US government's first calculation of Hispanic life expectancy.

A report released yesterday highlights the "Hispanic paradox" - long life expectancy for a population that has a large share of poor, under-educated members.

A Hispanic born in 2006 could expect to live about 80 years and seven months, the government estimates. Life expectancy for a white American is about 78, and for a black American, just shy of 73 years.