Men around the world live shorter lives on average than women, and the gap in life expectancy has increased from 3.3 years in 1950 to 4.8 years today. In the United Kingdom, men live about four years less than women on average.
This is the conclusion of an analysis published in the medical journal The Lancet, which examines global health data from 1990 to 2023. The researchers note that men are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, cancer and injuries, and also have higher suicide rates. Data from the latest Global Burden of Disease analysis show that in 2023, life expectancy was 76.3 years for women and 71.5 years for men.
Genes Matter, but They Do Not Explain Everything
Professor James Catto of the University of Sheffield, one of the authors and a practising urologist, points out that biological differences may play a role. Women generally have two X chromosomes, while men have one X and one Y chromosome. The second X chromosome may provide some protection against inherited diseases caused by defective genes. Differences in sex chromosomes may also influence susceptibility to certain types of cancer.
According to Catto, however, genetics contributes less to the gap in life expectancy than is generally assumed. Differences in immune responses also matter and may place men at higher risk from certain diseases.
Smoking, Alcohol and Delaying Seeking Help
The authors identify smoking and alcohol use as more important factors in men's earlier mortality than genetic traits. Working conditions, the economic environment and access to medical care also have an impact.
Catto also draws attention to patients' own behaviour. Some men delay seeing a doctor out of embarrassment or an unwillingness to seek help, which can delay the detection and treatment of illnesses.
Gambling Marketing Also Increases the Risk
The study also examines the influence of commercial campaigns. The tobacco and alcohol industries target their advertising at certain groups of men, including socially vulnerable communities.
A separate study by the University of Cambridge shows that gambling advertisements on Facebook and Instagram in Ireland reached 2.3 times more men than women. Twenty-two per cent of the advertisements were aimed specifically at men, while none was intended solely for women.
The researchers point out that gambling is increasingly becoming part of the experience surrounding football matches, including through in-play betting. According to Catto, when gambling becomes part of sports culture, the consequences can include debt, bankruptcy and mental health problems. The new series of studies in The Lancet calls on health policymakers to pay more attention to social and commercial factors that can be prevented.
Sources: healthnews.obozrevatel.com