Why do women live longer than men?
And what men can do about it
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Why Do Women Live Longer Than Men?
In every country, women live longer than men; this is a fact that has been so since records began. I wondered why. Is it because women are more sociable and more likely to look after their health? Is it that men have riskier behaviour tendencies and young men are more likely to die in accidents than young women? It is the case, though, even in other mammals, that females outlive the males.
My research revealed that the gap in life expectancy between men and women begins at birth: new born boys have higher death rates than new born girls, and they’re more vulnerable to diseases and genetic disorders. In the teenage years, boys have a higher death rate than girls, typically due to violence and accidents.
Then, at older ages, more men die from chronic health conditions than women, which is partly due to higher rates of smoking, alcohol, and drug use. So, the riskier behaviour does play a part.
In the past, gender differences in infant mortality were the leading cause of the gap in life expectancy. But now, differences at older ages are a larger factor. The average current lifespan is about 5 years longer for women in America, 4 years in the UK, and 7 years in other countries.
Studies show that men are more likely to die of heart disease than women - 50% more; they take bigger risks, have more dangerous jobs, are larger than women - larger animals die earlier than smaller animals, are less socially connected, visit their doctor less, and are more likely to commit suicide.
The Role of Hormones
However, studies tell us that an important element in the discrepancy is our hormones, which play a vital role in women’s longevity. Scientists consider estrogen, the primary female hormone, to have more protective effects against cardiovascular disease, bone density, brain function, and other conditions. It is an antioxidant that mops up poisonous chemicals that cause cells stress. The extra chromosome women have is also a protective factor.
Whereas the main hormone for men, testosterone, does not have a similar protective effect. Its primary role is to build muscle mass and strength, reproduction function, bone density, developing male characteristics, and libido. Lack of the ‘backup’ second chromosome is a deficit factor for men’s health.
So women have a protective system built into their biology. This puts greater pressure on men who do not have it to take control of their health and the social aspects of their life, even in marriage. Yet they leave the socialising calendar to their wives, who cultivate the friendships for the couple, and they rely on them to organise the health check-ups for both.
Divorce and Bereavement
Research for another essay I’m writing on late life divorce reveals that most divorces of any generation are initiated by women. So men are often reluctantly living alone in their older years and not managing. This could be an important contributory factor in the life expectancy gap today, since divorce in older age is a growing phenomenon.
For the women who leave unhappy marriages, at whatever age, they can still find happiness through their network of friends. Women are better at maintaining their friendships, even throughout marriage, than men, and this can be a crucial factor in health and well-being after the loss of a spouse in divorce or bereavement.
Loneliness is deadly and the lack of a support network can be to men’s detriment. Having a wife staves off this potentially fatal condition. Unmarried people who live with a partner tend to show better outcomes in studies than those living alone, but men living with a wife enjoy the best of all health.
“Research into bereavement shows that men are more likely than women to experience illness and disability after losing a spouse. It seems that having been looked after by their wife and possibly before that, their mother, they become unable to look after their own nutritional needs and their overall health, although grief itself can debilitate, resulting in loneliness, depression and social isolation. Grief can be an important element in the sense of loss when a marriage ends in divorce, too.” (This passage is from my book).
Studies make clear that men would enjoy more positive outcomes if they took control of their health, especially when single, but even when married. Research shows that unmarried, divorced and widowed men don’t eat well or exercise and are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours such as smoking and drinking alcohol.
What Can Men Do About It?
What can men do to live as long or longer than women when women have built-in protective aspects to their biology? It’s vital they take responsibility for their health, indulge less in risky behaviours, cultivate a social network to feel supported (especially important for divorcees and widowers), and seek help with mental health and stress issues.
I’m writing another essay on vulnerability, and this is particularly important for men raised to suppress weakness, as society views weakness as a feminine trait. Admitting when they need help is hard, as it reveals their vulnerability, but it is important for their mental health to be able to do so. It takes strength and courage to reach out, rather than weakness.
Interestingly, researchers have found that the gender gap in life expectancy is smallest for the wealthy and highly educated. This suggests that broadening access to quality health care, diet, better education, and other advantages can help men achieve a level of longevity closer to that of women. So, living under a caring government that provides the systems needed for reducing the equality gap between rich and poor is vital. But that’s a whole other essay.
Government Intervention
I had finished my essay at that point when I came across an article that highlighted the very subject of men’s health in England. The government is finally addressing the issue of men’s shorter life expectancy, as this month (April 2025) they are launching a consultation for men’s health strategy in England. This was a surprise to me, as the newish British government had not shown any interest in implementing socialist policies before, despite being a socialist party.
The article gives all the aforementioned reasons for men’s lack of a healthy lifestyle, for instance: machismo - boys being brought up to ‘man up’ rather than seek help, plus men are often in work where taking time off for health check-ups is difficult, and they ignore early signs of potential illness to hide it from employers as they don’t want to lose their jobs. So, most men die before they reach the age of 75.
Tucked away in there, too, is the fact that back in 2022, they created a network of women’s health hubs and women's health champions at the heart of government. It’s high time then to address the issues involved in men’s shorter life expectancy. Maybe this will be the beginning of the turnaround in the matter, in England at any rate.
I recommend you read the BBC News source below for the original article I read, about the launch of the men’s health consultation in England.
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DISCUSSION
I’d love to know what you think about anything included in this essay
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I am very behind in my reading and after reading this very interesting article, I expected you to be flooded with comments. I am surprised at the almost silence. I have a fairly strong interest in health, read all the articles in the newspaper, watch relevant TV programmes, but rarely sit down to read a book on the subject. It is my gut feeling that what we are born with (nature) is a much more dominant influence on our lives than what we meet in the course of them (nurture) and that much of our behaviour is due to hormones, which affect our drives and emotions. But I could not defend that view with any academic back-up. Keep writing. All interesting/
Quite interesting to read the facts about how hormones protect and help us. I believe women’s ancient DNA harking back to the responsibility to keep the clan alive through winters, illness and the ravages of mother nature have additionally equipped us to be the good caregivers we are in modern days. Thank you for this great essay.