As I was surfing the Internet, I came across an article about different countries and I found same data on life expectancy as well. I started to scrutinize the numbers and I wondered: why do men have a shorter life expectancy almost all over the world? Although the gender gap is closing, women are still in a more "advantageous" situation compared to man.
Social factors
Earlier it was thought, that men have a shorter life expectancy as a result of social factors. At that time mostly men drank alcohol and they smoked. Though these circumstances might contribute to diseases like lung cancer and liver diseases, this theory is not completely true. As the society changed in modern ages, it became more common that women drink and smoke as well, but generally they still live longer than men.Biological factors
Testosterone
Many claim that the difference in mortality rate between man and women is due to the sex hormones. According to this theory, the high level of testosterone might be the reason, why men seek danger and tend to risk their lives by e.g. driving dangerously and being involved in violent crimes where they might be killed. An interesting fact is, that the percentage of men being bitten by a snake is much higher as well, as they are more likely to harass these animals out of curiosity or whatever, whereas women tend to look for safer places and get away from dangerous animals. Men are more likely to work in dangerous fields (such as firefighter, police officer or in constructions) than women, resulting in more death cases connected to work or workplace. Mostly men are the ones who join the army, too. To conclude, the lower level of testosterone in women might be the reason, why they usually avoid dangerous situations.Estrogen
Not only the level of testosterone might be important, but also the most significant female sex hormone, the estrogen might have a role in how long we live. Women, who have a much higher level of estrogen, are protected from cardiovascular diseases by this hormone until the menopause. After the menopause, when the estrogen level drops, the risk of such diseases (e.g. heart attack) increases.
Behavior
Another interesting theory on why men die earlier than women is, a difference in behavior. Firstly, men are much more embarrassed of talking to a doctor about their problems. While women are more open about their health problems, men are more likely to hide them, which might lead to diseases being recognized too late. Secondly, many say that women can cope with stress much more easily as a result of their communication habits. Women are often criticized for talking too much and about everything, but this might be the key to reduce stress! Consequently, men usually cannot handle stress that easily and they are more exposed to depression as well. The percentage of men committing suicide due to serious depression is much higher compared to the number of women.Marriage
Finally, it is interesting to note, that married men have a longer life expectancy than those who are single, as married people are more likely to have a less risky lifestyle. (Men's car insurance drops as soon as they get married.) What's more, a nurturing wife can contribute to a longer life, too. What is funny about it is, that married women can expect a shorter life compared to single women.For further information:
If you are interested, here is a link to the official life expectancy page where you can compare the countries of the world, and male and women results:http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/world-life-expectancy-map
Another interesting site with an application if you want to find out where do you fit into 7 billion:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15391515
And last but not least, a funny article on how to live (or don't) longer:
http://www.pleated-jeans.com/2011/06/06/10-easy-ways-to-lower-your-lifespan/
