We all know that women live longer than men. However, this could be set to change in the coming years. The life expectancy gap is closing between men and women. Over the last three decades changes in men's lifestyle have directly and positively affected their longevity. Interestingly it was only since World War II that the life expectancy gap widened.
Some scientists believe that men will live as long as women in just two generation's time. One US study has predicted the life expectancy gap will be closed by 2035. This is not just due to men's life expectancy rising but also to women's life expectancy increasingly levelling off. For example, in 2004 10% of girls aged 11 to 15 smoked compared to 7% of boys of the same age. The girls are running a heightened risk of suffering from lung cancer rates later on in their lives – lung cancer incidence is falling in men but rising in women.
So, what are the factors causing the closing of the gap? The number of men smoking has declined steeply, they are eating healthier diets, exercising more frequently and for longer at higher intensities as the popularity and availability of gyms, personal trainers and corporate health checks have increased. Men are also now more aware of their bodies so tend to present to their GP earlier than they used to. Why is this? In part there has been an increase in education of men including men's magazines covering male health and fitness issues and the introduction of 'well men' drop-in clinics which used to be the exclusive domain of women.
A recent report carried out in Canada showed the average male life
expectancy for children born between 2005 and 2007 was 78.3 years, an increase of nearly three years compared to the period 1995 to 1997. The same study showed life expectancy for women over the same periods increased by less than two years to 83. Women used to expect six more years of life than men, but now that has decreased to 4.7 years.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) presents very interesting data on life expectancy at birth and investigates trends in life expectancy linked to income, locality etc. For example, despite a general increase in life expectancy for men, there are wide disparities across the UK. In Glasgow, famous for its deep-fried mars bars, the male life expectancy is 71; whereas in the leafy suburbs of Kensington and Chelsea the male can expect to live to 83. In the UK women on average live to 81.5 and men on average to 77.2, compared to 76.8 and 70.8 respectively in 1981.
In addition to all-important lifestyle changes made by men, more households share the role of breadwinner which has had the effect of reducing the level of stress suffered by men and consequently the long-term damage to their health is being reduced. Other factors include men being exposed to reduced danger at work as health and safety legislation improves working conditions and those men on low incomes being encouraged to access health care.
What isn't clear is the extent to which improvements in male health and fitness have increased their life expectancy compared to other factors and to what extent complacency on behalf of women has ameliorated their improvement in life expectancy. But, the message is clear – if the men keep on with their lifestyle improvements women may find men living to the same age as them.
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