This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Life expectancy gap between men and women narrows
Research from Imperial College London has found that the life expectancy gap between men and women in Britain has closed to just 2.8 years.
The report postulated that improvements in lifestyle has meant British men born in 2030 are expected to live until they are 82.5 years old and women until 85.3 years, closing the gap from four years to 2.8 years and placing them 14th in the table of 35 countries.
Published in The Lancet and funded by the UK Medical Research Council, the study also revealed that South Koreans could have the highest life expectancy in the world come 2030, at 90 years old.
The research also outlined that the USA is likely to have the lowest life expectancy at birth in 2030 among high-income countries. The nation's average life expectancy at birth of men and women in 2030 (79.5
years and 83.3 years.
The study's lead researcher Professor Majid Ezzati said: “The increase in average life expectancy in high income countries is due to the over-65s living longer than ever before. In middle-income countries, the number of premature deaths – i.e. people dying in their forties and fifties, will also decline by 2030.”
“The fact that we will continue to live longer means we need to think about strengthening the health and social care systems to support an ageing population with multiple health needs. This is the opposite of what is being done in the era of austerity. We also need to think about whether current pension systems will support us, or if we need to consider working into later life.”
"Men traditionally had unhealthier lifestyles, and so shorter life expectancies. They smoked and drank more, and had more road traffic accidents and homicides.
"However, as lifestyles become more similar between men and women, so does their longevity. Many people used to believe that 90 years is the upper limit for life expectancy, but this research suggests we will break the 90-year-barrier.
"I don't believe we're anywhere near the upper limit of life expectancy - if there even is one."
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