The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, examined life expectancy data for men and women in 199 countries over nearly 200 years. The authors concluded that men, especially those who are married or have advanced degrees, are more likely to live longer than women.
“Married or college-educated men tend to live longer than women who are unmarried or don’t have a high school diploma,” the study authors said.
The analysis also showed that in developed countries, the probability of men living longer than women declined until the 1970s, then gradually increased in all populations. The rise and fall of differences in life expectancy were mainly due to smoking and other behavioral differences.
The authors added: “Although male life expectancy is generally lower than females and male mortality is generally higher at any age, the chances of men living longer than females are significant.”
These results refute the general impression that men do not live as long as women, and show a more subtle disparity in life expectancy between men and women.
Source: Ferra
