SummaryIn order to investigate the association between mean inbreeding coefficient (α) and healthy life expectancy at birth (HALE; years) the present ecological study on 63 countries was done. Statistical analysis showed that HALE negatively and positively correlated with log10α and log10GNI per capita, respectively (p<0.001). It should be noted that log10α and log10GNI per capita were significantly correlated with each other (p<0.001). After controlling for log10GNI per capita, significant negative correlations between log10α and HALE were observed. The countries were stratified according to their GNI per capita into low- and high-income countries. In countries with high income, after controlling for log10GNI per capita, the correlation between HALE at birth and log10α was significant (for males r=−0.399, df=32, p=0.001; for females r=−0.683, df=32, p<0.001). In high-income Asian and African countries, where consanguineous marriage is common, after controlling for log10GNI per capita, the correlation between HALE at birth and log10α was significant (for males r=−0.819, df=8, p=0.004; for females r=−0.936, df=8, p<0.001). It seems that consanguinity influences HALE independent of country income.
Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy at birth