Compiled by Sahar Yaghoubi
In a remarkable shift, a new study has revealed that the long-standing disparity in life expectancy between men and women is gradually narrowing across the globe. This trend, driven by changing lifestyles and increased awareness of health issues, challenges the historical norm of women outliving men.
Researchers from the University of Alcalá in Spain analyzed mortality data from 194 countries between 1990 and 2010, dividing them into five groups based on their longevity trends. The findings paint a striking picture: While women continue to maintain a higher average life expectancy, the gap is steadily closing, particularly in countries with higher incomes.
The most significant leap was observed in Rwanda and Uganda, where men’s average life expectancy surged by a remarkable 14.37 years, from 30.85 years in 1990 to 45.22 years in 2010. In contrast, women’s life expectancy in these countries increased by a mere 0.94 years during the same period.
In the group of countries with the highest life expectancies, including nations like Australia, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Western Europe, the average difference between men and women shrank from 4.84 years in 1990 to 4.77 years in 2010. The researchers project that this gap will continue to narrow, reaching 3.4 years by 2030.
While the study only analyzed data up to 2010, the researchers anticipate that similar trends have persisted until the present day, barring the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on overall life expectancies.
The narrowing of the life expectancy gap can be attributed to a multitude of factors. Advances in healthcare and increased awareness around conditions such as AIDS have benefited both men and women. Additionally, a decline in smoking and alcohol-related deaths, which disproportionately affect men, may have contributed to this shift.
“This study is consistent with epidemiologic trends that would suggest a rise in global life expectancy and a narrowing of the gender gap over time,” says Brandon Yan, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, affirming the significance of these findings.
As societies continue to evolve and adopt healthier lifestyles, the long-standing disparity in life expectancy between men and women may eventually become a relic of the past. This convergence not only underscores the power of preventive measures and lifestyle changes but also highlights the importance of addressing gender-specific health issues to ensure equitable access to longevity for all.
