mind & bodyanalysisOur World in Data
Women outlive men in every country in the world, and the gap has a mix of biological and social causes
In every country with reliable records, women live longer than men on average. Biology contributes: the second X chromosome offers backup copies of genes, and oestrogen helps protect the heart before menopause. Men also die more often from the leading killers, including heart disease, accidents, and violence, and they are more likely to smoke and drink heavily. The gap has changed over time, widening in many places during the twentieth century when smoking spread among men and narrowing in some rich countries since.
Women have two X chromosomes, so a faulty gene on one can often be compensated by the other. Oestrogen appears to protect blood vessels and the heart, which lowers heart disease risk before menopause. Men tend to take more risks, drink and smoke more, and die more often in accidents, which adds years to the gap.
The gap shows that lifespan is shaped as much by behaviour and environment as by genes. It is one of the most consistent patterns in human health data, and it helps explain why public health campaigns often target men's risky habits.
Historically the gap was smaller in many places and grew during the twentieth century as smoking became common among men first. Where smoking declined earlier among men, the gap narrowed, which shows how much of it is behavioural.
