Reuters
Newt Gingrich
The former Speaker's health is mostly unknown, though it's clear from his physical appearance that the 68 year old would be diagnosed with obesity, and is probably at-risk for related conditions such as Type II Diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Cardiovascular disease is another complication that could arise were he to serve as president for 4-8 years, taking him into his 70s. Gingrich holds a doctorate and is in the top 10 percent of income. His estimated health utility is 0.77 QALYs.
Reuters
Jon Huntsman
Huntsman is a healthy-appearing individual at 51, supporting a wife and seven children. However, the habits of his active lifestyle, which he claims includes riding motocross and other extreme outdoor activities puts him at high risk for health hazards. Such risks actually affect health utility, making his approximately 0.96 QALYs.
Reuters
Ron Paul
Paul, a physician, is no stranger to a clean bill of health. He has no health issues to report, and appears physically healthy for a 75 year old. Age is correlated with health utility -- the mean utility for a person of his age is 0.79. However, older age has a negative impact on health utility because of the concomitant increase in chronic conditions that come with age. Given that he is probably on the high end of the spectrum with no chronic conditions, his health is estimated as 0.85 QALYs.
Reuters
Tim Pawlenty
The former governor of Minnesota appears healthy and physically active at 50. He has a J.D., and shares a high income with his wife who is a judge in District Court. His health utility is estimated to be 0.99 QALYs.
Reuters
Mitt Romney
Romney has always maintained an active life and never experienced any major health issues. He was raised in a wealthy family, has a wife and five children, and earned a J.D./M.B.A. from Harvard. The 64-year-old has an estimated utility of 0.98 QALYs.
Reuters
Rick Santorum
Santorum, like Pawlenty, is in his young 50s and has no reported health problems. He holds a J.D. and has a high income. His health utility is estimated at 0.99 QALYs.
Past Presidents, VPs and Candidates:
Reuters
John McCain
At 72 years of age, McCain made a run at the Oval Office with a record of several comorbidities, including malignant skin melanoma, above-average blood pressure, and an enlarged prostate. The 2007 income for the seven members of the McCain family was $4,079,327 (Association for Financial Professionals). Considering this information, McCain has a calculated health utility of 0.85 QALYs, which is slightly below the health utility of the average American. However, McCain's health is significantly better than that of the average American over the age of 65. According to recent published information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average white male over age 65 has a total life expectancy of 75.7 years. Considering McCain's above-average health utility score, it is probable that his life expectancy would have met or exceeded that of the average American.