Could men live as long as women with a few simple social changes?

Cultural shift could increase male life expectancy, experts say

The stability of married life could help men live for longer, experts say. Photo: EPA

Women tend to live significantly longer than men. For men, the average age of death worldwide is 69.6, but for women it is around 74.5. In some nations, women outlive men by more than a decade, but why this is the case is something health experts find harder to pin down.

There are exceptions. In the same year the Titanic sank, John Alfred Tinniswood was born in Liverpool. He died 112 years later, last November, as the world's oldest man. What made Mr Tinniswood an outlier for mankind was an ability to outlive many of his female relatives and friends but, aside from a weekly treat of fish and chips, there were few clues to the secret of his longevity.

As impressive as Mr Tinniswood’s longevity was, the world’s oldest woman Tomiko Itooka outlived her male record holding counterpart by four years.

Ms Itooka died in a nursing home on December 29 in the city of Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture in Japan and was declared the world’s oldest person in August after the death of Spanish woman Maria Branyas Morera, aged 117.

An exact cause of the lifespan gap has mystified scientists and doctors, but experts said there are probably multiple factors at play. In general, women eat healthier, have better coping mechanisms for stress and consume less alcohol and tobacco.

Dr Rahul Chaudhary, cardiologist and department head at International Modern Hospital in Dubai, said hormones play a pivotal role. “Before menopause, women have oestrogen as their predominant hormone and men have testosterone,” he said.

“Scientific research has shown oestrogen has a cardio-protective effect. It gives women a better lipid profile, meaning they are better protected against the deposit of cholesterol in various parts of the body, known as atherosclerosis. As a result, women tend to get heart diseases around a decade late than men.”

Good habits

Women are also more likely to have frequent GP check-ups, developing good habits to manage reproductive health needs from their teenage years. Critically, they are also more compliant with medical advice.

“The coverage of breast and cervical cancer screening is way ahead of prostate-specific cancers,” said Dr Chaudhary. “There is definitely a psychological difference between genders that impacts health. Women have better coping mechanisms and social networking to cope with stressful situations. Men are more likely to end up smoking, drinking alcohol or being aggressive.”

While hormones can be a benefit to women, they can be a curse to men. Testosterone affects brain function, so its effects on vascular health are more prominent in men who are more likely to develop high blood pressure, heart disease and vascular dementia.

But it is not all plain sailing for female longevity. In some South Asian and African nations, high maternal mortality has significantly narrowed the gender lifespan gap Pakistan and Nigeria have the shortest gender life expectancy difference, less than two years, followed by Tanzania, Algeria and India, at under four.

With ageing comes additional health problems. The older we get, the more likely we are to succumb to diseases such as cancer and neurological conditions.

“Men have a higher tendency to develop vascular dementia, but women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than men,” said Dr Zemer Wang, medical director at The Brain & Performance Centre in Dubai. “Women generally live longer than men, and age is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.”

A drop in oestrogen during menopause plays a significant role, as the naturally occurring chemical supports brain health. Its decline after menopause may increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease in women.

“It stands to reason, that a healthy brain is essential for a healthy body,” said Dr Wang. “It is important to realise that we can and should influence the ageing process and aim for our health span to be equal to our lifespan for both genders.”

Mental degeneration

Despite women often outliving men, they are twice as likely to develop dementia, according to the UK Alzheimer’s Society.

“Women are also more likely to care for people living with dementia, both professionally and informally, leading to an increased impact of the condition on women overall,” said Alzheimer’s disease International’s chief executive Paola Barbarino. “Addressing modifiable risk factors across the life course remains one of the most cost-effective methods to reduce the risk of developing dementia.”

While men’s health may have become a more familiar topic in recent years, suicide rates are four times higher than in women, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. In the UK, a similar pattern exists in men, with suicide the biggest male killer in those under 45.

“The higher the rate of social integration, the lower the rates of suicide are – we’ve known this for decades,” said Dr Annette Schonder, a psychologist and sociologist in Dubai. “Women talk more, which relieves anxiety. Generally, men are less socially integrated.”

A number of environmental and biological factors suggest men are doomed to forever die before women, but a cultural shift towards wider acceptance of male vulnerability could reverse the trend.

Rehabilitation clinics in the UAE and private counsellors said more men were coming forward to ask for help.

Marie Byrne is a counsellor in Dubai who has seen her share of male clients increase from 35 per cent in 2022, to 55 per cent in 2024. “This year is the first year the balance has shifted towards more men coming forward for help,” she said.

“There is more awareness of the fact that stress does not have to be managed with prescription drugs or alcohol. If men are happier, they will take a bit more interest in their own health and well-being, and feel energised about the future. This in itself can promote longevity.”

In most high-income nations, women outlive men but generally report worse health in what is referred to as the health-survival paradox.

Research by the Max Planck Odense Centre on the Biodemography of Ageing found Russia has one of the world's largest sex differences in life expectancy, with women outliving men by more than a decade.

Married life

Married men tend to live longer than bachelors, due to better health monitoring, social support and reduced risk taking. Shared responsibilities and structured household routines can also improve overall well-being.

But it is not just psychology and social factors impacting lifespan, with genetics playing an important role. Women hold two key X chromosomes in their genetic make-up, whereas men have only one. It is understood the X chromosome contains gene segments that influence immunity against certain viruses and disease, a key factor in healthy ageing. Testosterone is also linked to more risk-taking behaviours.

“Most men who see me literally have no one to talk to,” said Dr Schonder, who works at the Clinic for Health and Medical Care. “They have friends, but they're not going to reveal vulnerability, which is often seen as weakness, whereas women take strength from solidarity.”

“In general, more men conduct high-risk jobs,” Dr Schonder added. “We see a lot of anxious men today. They don't get enough time to sleep and are living under significant pressures. They’re usually holding back their emotions at work and because anger still appears better than weeping and crying, that's why sometimes I think there's a delay in getting treatment. I do see more anxious, burnt out men than women.”