When it comes to longevity, women are much more likely to live longer than men. In the US, the difference increased to 5.8 years in 2021. On average, men can expect to live just under 76 years, compared to 81 for women.
A new study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, in Leipzig, Germany, shows that this difference holds true across different species. And the results, published in the journal Science Advances, suggest there may be ways for human males to reduce the gap.
The study found that, among 528 mammal species—including humans’ closest relative, the chimpanzee—females often have the advantage. Females live about 13% longer in 72% of the species.
A mix of factors explains the difference, including genetics, mating habits—which tend to provoke risky behaviors among males—and caregiving responsibilities.
“What we found is that this female advantage in longevity is part of mammalian evolution. It dates back millions of years,” says the study’s author Fernando Colchero. Females have two X chromosomes, compared to one X and one Y for males, which may provide a protective “backup” against potentially harmful genetic mutations. But the differences go far beyond that.
Colchero points to the behaviors and physical changes that males in many species adopt to mate and reproduce. For example, male deer (bucks) grow larger and develop antlers during breeding season to signal dominance and ward off mating rivals in an effort to attract females. “This is an evolutionary pressure, certainly, to pass on as many genes as possible to the next generation,” says Colchero. Risky behaviors shorten life Although these behaviors may seem distant from human reality, there are parallels. Men tend to engage in riskier behaviors at higher rates, including smoking and drinking. Although the differences have narrowed, they remain significant.
“Men are also more likely than women to die from alcoholism, drug use, suicide, and homicide,” says Alan Geller, senior lecturer in social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Geller studies the disparity in deaths from heart disease and cancer between men and women. Since men have been more likely to smoke tobacco, they die at higher rates from lung cancer. Smoking also increases the risk of heart disease. It’s a clear example of how risky behavior can shorten life. There are some factors men can’t control. For example, estrogen has a protective effect on the heart.
Men also die at significantly higher rates from melanoma. “It’s fascinating because the melanoma incidence rate is slightly higher in men than in women, but the melanoma mortality rate is much higher for men,” says Geller. There are several reasons for this, including biology. Men’s skin is different, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. It tends to be thicker and contains more collagen and elastin, fibers that give skin firmness. Research shows that these differences may make the skin more vulnerable to damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
But it’s much more than biology that puts men at greater risk of death. Men are less likely to protect themselves from the sun. A 2022 survey published in the CDC’s Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report found that only 12.3% of men always use sunscreen when spending more than an hour outdoors on a sunny day.
Additionally, men are less likely to get screened for cancers. “They’re less likely to go to the doctor to ask for a skin cancer exam or to examine their own skin,” says Geller. “And so you have a double whammy,” increasing their risks.
Caregivers live longer
The Max Planck study found a correlation between caregiving and longevity. The sex that spends more time caring for offspring tends to live longer. An evolutionary explanation is that the caregiving parent needs to survive until their offspring is independent.
Colchero says the evolutionary pressures that produced this gender difference cannot be ignored. But in humans, he is optimistic that the gap can be reduced. “There are ways we can reduce it to some extent,” he says, by changing behaviors and norms. Gender roles have evolved, and many men care for their children and focus on their own health. For example, men who earn more money are more likely to use sunscreen.
“Imitating some of the behaviors that women have” could be helpful, he says. “Let’s make sure we go to the doctor,” for example. And Geller says much more could be done to promote the importance of preventive care, including recommended screenings.
And remember, the main risk factors for the chronic diseases that most Americans die from, including cancer and heart disease, can be reduced by changing our habits, for both men and women. Here is the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 for preventing disease: eat better, be more active, quit tobacco, get healthy sleep, manage weight, control cholesterol, and manage blood sugar and blood pressure.
Source: npr.org by Allison Aubrey