New Delhi, October 31, 2023: Women tend to live longer than men. In almost every society across the world, you will find women outliving their male counterparts.
In the United States, there are several years between the average ages a man and a woman are expected to live to, with women on average living until around 79.3 years, and men 73.5 years, according to the latest figures from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some people may immediately point to obvious answers, like traditionally, more men than women tend to have more dangerous jobs as well as physical – in turn affecting their body as they get older. But, the answer also lies in the way the human body works. Several doctors explained told HuffPost there are a number of reasons why men tend to die before women.
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It is in the hormones
According to experts, the hormone estrogen has a big part to play. Dr Robert Segal said: “Estrogen keeps blood vessels healthy by causing dilatation (widening of blood vessels) and improving the function of endothelial cells. “
Dr Segal, a cardiologist and founder of Manhattan Cardiology, added: “This can improve the flow of blood and lower the risk of atherosclerosis, which is a major cause of heart disease.”
The reproductive hormone also helps improve cholesterol profiles by dropping levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and raising levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Dr Segal explained that estrogen also has anti-inflammatory properties which helps reduce inflammation in the blood vessels, lowering the risks of cardiovascular illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and heart disease – the number one cause of death in Americans.
Higher risk behaviour in men
Men tend to participate in riskier behaviour than women, one expert explained. Dr Rohit Vuppuluri, an international cardiologist in Chicago, said men are more likely to have social habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs and poor diet choices.
He explained the behaviours “increase the risk of chronic diseases like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, liver cirrhosis and obesity. All of these chronic diseases increase morbidity and can ultimately lead to worsened mortality.”
As well as that, men tend to have more dangerous jobs than women and are more likely to drive recklessly and take more risks in sport, leading to injuries which can make their lives shorter.
Women choose healthier food
A good diet with nutritious food can help you live longer, and research shows that women are more likely to do this than men. Blanca Garcia, a dietitian nutritionist at Healthcanal, said: “I strongly believe that diet and exercise play a heavy role in a person’s longevity. Better food choices keep the body in balance, and the movement keeps muscles and bones stronger.”
Dr Segal also stressed that diet and exercise plays a part. He said anyone who gets regular physical exercise is more likely to have “better heart health, weight control and general well-being, all of which can add years to your life.”
He added: “Changes to a person’s food and exercise habits, among other things, can help both men and women live longer and healthier lives.”
Men suppress their emotions
Psychologist Abigail Lev believes that suppressing your emotions and having a short life expectancy are linked. The licensed clinical psychologist and founder and director of the Bay Area CBT Center in California said: ““Men are conditioned by society to deeply repress and suppress their emotions. Due to their emotional suppression and other factors, women tend to have more socially intimate relationships, providing them with support they can lean on.”
There is also a benefit in women having larger social circles. Dr Naval Parikh, a primary care physician in Florida, said: ““Women tend to have larger social networks and stronger social connections, which can have a positive impact on mental health,” he said. This support system means women “tend to have better coping mechanisms for dealing with stress.”
Suppressing your emotions is linked to a range of health issues – it can increase your stress levels, raise your cortisol levels, impact your sleep, relationships and connections. In turn, that can increase the likelihood of developing mental health conditions such as trauma, depression and anxiety. There are also links to an increase in blood pressure, cardiovascular risks and a weaker immune system.
Men are more likely not to follow their doctor’s recommendations.
“Men are much more likely to brush off any episodes of chest pain or shortness of breath as just a minor symptom that will eventually go away, rather than seeking medical attention to find out if it is something concerning,” Vuppuluri said. “Men resist seeking assistance and continue to work through their discomforts until they are in a dire situation, which then leads to worse medical outcomes.”
And for those men who do go to the doctor? They don’t always listen to them or follow their advice. A 2017 study by the American Academy of Family Physicians found that up to half of men seeking a doctor’s care don’t follow their physician’s recommendations. This includes not filling prescriptions, not taking prescriptions as directed, not following up with tests for their condition and not showing up for a follow-up.
Vuppuluri said that “men are less likely to agree to take medications if they do not actively feel unwell.” So, for conditions like hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus, men are “much less compliant with medications as they often do not feel symptoms.” This can cause them to develop irreversible symptoms such as organ damage or organ failure, according to Vuppuluri.
Going to the doctor, following treatment plans and getting frequent check-ups can make a big difference in longevity. Doing these things “can slow the growth of chronic diseases, such as heart problems, and help people live longer and be healthier overall,” according to Segal.
Simply being a woman does not guarantee a longer life. There are some innate benefits, but the majority of factors predicting a person’s life expectancy are habits within their control. Exercising often, eating healthy foods, going to the doctor, finding a support system and more can help anyone lead a healthier life ― for many years to come.
Why do womеn tеnd to livе longеr than mеn?
Womеn tеnd to outlivе mеn for sеvеral rеasons. Onе kеy factor is thе rolе of fеmalе hormonеs, еspеcially еstrogеn, which hеlps maintain hеalthy blood vеssеls, lowеrs thе risk of hеart disеasе, and has anti-inflammatory propеrtiеs that rеducе cardiovascular risks.
What social habits contributе to thе gеndеr gap in lifе еxpеctancy?
Mеn oftеn еngagе in riskiеr bеhaviors, including smoking, еxcеssivе alcohol consumption, drug usе, and poor diеtary choicеs. Thеsе habits incrеasе thе risk of chronic disеasеs, such as hypеrtеnsion and diabеtеs, ultimatеly affеcting thеir longеvity.
How do diеt and еxеrcisе influеncе lifе еxpеctancy?
Both diеt and еxеrcisе play vital rolеs in dеtеrmining how long onе livеs. Maintaining a balancеd diеt with nutritious food choicеs, couplеd with rеgular physical еxеrcisе, can contributе to bеttеr hеart hеalth, wеight control, and ovеrall wеll-bеing, ultimatеly adding yеars to your lifе.
How doеs еmotional supprеssion impact lifе еxpеctancy?
Mеn who supprеss thеir еmotions may еxpеriеncе highеr blood prеssurе, incrеasеd cardiovascular risks, and a wеakеr immunе systеm. Thе lack of еmotional support and social intimacy may lеad to hеightеnеd strеss lеvеls and an incrеasеd likеlihood of dеvеloping mеntal hеalth conditions.
Why do mеn tеnd to disrеgard mеdical rеcommеndations from thеir doctors?
Mеn arе morе likеly to ignorе symptoms and rеsist sееking mеdical attеntion, oftеn downplaying thеir hеalth concеrns. Evеn whеn thеy do sееk mеdical advicе, studiеs show that up to half of mеn don’t follow thеir physician’s rеcommеndations, including not taking prеscribеd mеdications, which can lеad to irrеvеrsiblе hеalth issuеs. Following doctor’s advicе and rеgular chеck-ups can makе a significant diffеrеncе in lifе еxpеctancy.
