Researchers finally have confirmed theories about Hispanics’ longevity, but they’re still trying to figure out exactly what they’re doing to outlive other ethnic groups. A report the National Center for Health Statistics released Wednesday showed Hispanic people in the United States live almost three years longer than the rest of the population. Karl Eschbach, a professor and director of population research at UTMB Health, called the report an extremely strong and careful study. “This is the first time we’ve done a pretty precise calculation of what the Hispanic advantage is,” Eschbach, a former state demographer, said. Hispanics have higher rates of obesity and diabetes and lower levels of education, income and access to health care, Eschbach said, yet research has shown Hispanics consistently are living longer lives. About 25 years ago, UTMB professor Kyriakos S. Markides coined the term “Hispanic paradox,” still used today, to describe the trend, Eschbach said. According to the report, Hispanics will live about 80.6 years — about 2.5 years longer than the non-Hispanic white population and about 7.7 years longer than blacks. The overall life expectancy for the total Hispanic population was 77.7 years, according to the report. The story also appears in the San Antonio Express News and El Diario de El Paso.