Women Live Longer than Men, Really?

Women were likely to have a longer life than men. Evolution may play a role, so the researchers note in the journal Human Nature. But other factors also worked against the 'reward' for this woman, it also can happen to anyone, both men and women to live longer, are healthier life.

U.S. statistics in 2004 showed that women in American life expectancy were 5.2 years longer than men. Not just in America, researchers in England predicted that 2006 was the year in which women live longer than men throughout the world, even in poor countries.

The attracted competition

In brief, the study showed males must often compete to attracts females, and competition against other males may pose a risk. Daniel Kruger, PhD, and Randolph Nesse, MD, of the University of Michigan, who authored the study, said that some of the things that increase death rates in men are men more often a habit that involve risks and violence due to compete for her attention.

There were also more men than women who died in a car accident and other types of accidents such as, murder, and suicide, so the researchers note. Researchers also added that the existence of the death rate susceptible between men and women over the habit.

Daredevil attraction

Kruger and Nesse look at the big picture on how the evolution of an impact on mortality rates of men and women. They do not assume that all men do risky behaviors to attract women, or is it all to make a woman look at his courage and think, "I want him to be the father of my children." They also do not rule out the risk of women's health.

However, for many men who live with high risk will also increase the risk of death. The gap between male-female mortality rates may be a sign that competition among males in the environment is also influential.

Safer birth

"Rise up now, life expectancy is greater for men than women," said Carol J. Hogue, PhD, MPH. Hogue is a professor of births and child health and epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.

Why do women have an advantage over men in terms of life expectancy? "The difference is maternal mortality," said Hogue. Maternal mortality is including cause of death a woman during or in connection with childbirth.

Risky habits

It is true that men are more at risk of death due to violence and associated with risk taking. "The main killer for women is maternal mortality during childbirth, and it can be overcome, whereas the major killer for men is violence and accidents, and it has declined drastically as dying at birth declined," said Hogue.

But now, the gulf between men and women is narrowing, because women now begin to adopt unhealthy habits like smoking. Obesity also can be a major cause in life expectancy, when viewed from the impact. He added that some researchers have theorized that women may have a larger gene provides protection against premature death.

Add your life expectancy

Man or woman can keep living longer with a healthier life. "You can change your life expectancy if today you are starting to exercise, eat right, reducing stress with one or other method of removal of stress, like meditation, avoiding risky habits, wear a seatbelt when driving, and not overtaking another vehicle at a standstill," Hogue said. In other words, it is you who can determine your own life.