By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Traditionally, women tend to outlive men by an average of seven years. However, emerging data from United Nations Population Division tracking longevity worldwide from 1990 to 2020 indicate that that longevity gap is shrinking and will continue to narrow. By 2030, the average life expectancy for women will be 86.54 and for men 83.13.
One of the reasons that age gap is narrowing has to do with men’s health improving, according to Natasha Sodhi, lifestyle medicine physician at Rochester Regional Hospital.
“The disparity between men and women and lifespan partly has to do with the instance of chronic disease,” Sodhi said.
More men embracing healthy living such as eating right, eschewing tobacco products and exercising, is making a difference. For most people, this begins with patient education in the doctor’s office.
Generally speaking, women have been the family’s health champion. During their childbearing years, women become accustomed to regular doctor’s visits and are typically the parent who takes the children to pediatrician visits. This segues into healthcare can aid in keeping women on track with health. Stereotypically, men are not as proactive about professional healthcare. But as more men have become involved with their family’s healthcare, perhaps that interest in health extends to them as well.
“Social connection is a large part of why Blue Zone communities are so healthy and connected,” Sodhi said.
Conventionally, women have connected with each other on a deeper emotional level with their friends and loved ones than the stereotypical man who relies only on himself. As men have begun to take more time to socialize and build strong relationships and connections than in the past, this factor may be helping with longevity.
In the past, women have been more concerned about maintaining a slim build through exercise and dieting than men. Although many “diets” are not healthful, the awareness of food choices and the role of the family chef has helped women understand more about how food affects health. But in more recent years, men have begun educating themselves on nutrition — and not only in athletic circles.
Sodhi said that the plant-based diet favored in Blue Zones promotes good health, along with a lifestyle of physical activity.
“We know 80% of all chronic diseases are due to lifestyle,” Sodhi said. “When we meet with patients, we take time to hear their story and understand aspects of their lives that impact their health. There’s opportunity to prevent and even reverse disease through lifestyle. We collaborate with patients.”
Engaging in risky behavior is another area which has in the past disproportionately involved men, whether the male-dominated dangerous occupations like commercial fishing, forestry, farming and construction; engagement in hobbies like motorcycling or base jumping; performing ill-advised stunts; or substance abuse.
Safety education and equipment are helping save lives, such as rollover protection structures on tractors that keep farmers safer. More men than women use tobacco (13.1% compared with 10.1% of women as of 2021, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse and between the two, men who smoke use more tobacco than women who smoke); however, fewer people overall use it currently. In addition, more women are engaging in dangerous occupations and activities, which statistically narrows the gender gap.
Sodhi said that discussing risky substances is one of the aspects of patient education her office covers, along with physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management and social connection.
“My experience is by explaining all of these areas and the intersection between them, a patient can identify areas in which they can make lifestyle changes and significantly impact their overall health mentally and physically,” Sodhi said.
She added that the right support from friends and family along with guidance from healthcare providers can help people stay healthy.
Although COVID-19 deaths and drug overdoses in the past few years have statistically widened the gender longevity gap according to a report in JAMA Internal Medicine, it’s likely that this anomaly will not affect the gap long-term and it’s likely women will on average outlive men.
Researchers have indicated that men’s Y chromosomes in cells linked to age-related disease and death may be why they tend to die younger than women. That’s why it’s especially important for men to make the necessary lifestyle changes to support good health.