The average life expectancy for men in Russia today is 67 years. This is almost 10 years less than for women, and not much more than the average retirement age. Why men live less, and how to increase this period – we tell in this article.
How long do men live
Life expectancy statistics in Russia are maintained by Rosstat. To do this, the agency calculates the indicator “life expectancy”. It shows how long people of a certain year of birth will live if the mortality rate matches the predicted one. To date, data have already been accumulated for almost 100 years, so we can draw conclusions about the dynamics of the indicator.
The life expectancy of men over the entire period of observation has grown very significantly. If in 1930 people died around the age of 40, then by 2019 the average man could live 68 years. Then the coronavirus pandemic greatly worsened the mortality statistics, and the life expectancy indicator rolled back several years. In 2021, men lived an average of 65.5 years. Data for 2022 has not yet been fully processed, but the Ministry of Health has already announced that the figure is almost back to pre-pandemic numbers.
The longest men live in Japan, Singapore, Korea, Norway and Australia. There, and in a dozen other countries, their average life expectancy is over 80 years. The figure in Russia is considered quite low. First of all, this is associated with the level of medicine. In our country, it is not customary for men to be regularly examined by doctors, so the diagnosis of diseases is difficult. Problems are discovered at a late stage or already posthumously. A significant part of the male population dies at working age, even before reaching a pension.
Interestingly, the average life expectancy of men in Russia is about 10 years less than that of women. This is due to various reasons:
- Physiological. Men have higher cholesterol levels, are more likely to be obese, and have less resistance to infections.
- Bad habits. Alcohol and nicotine have a bad effect on blood vessels. The Russian Ministry of Health considers them one of the main reasons why men so often suffer from cardiovascular diseases.
- Hard work. Men are more likely than women to be engaged in heavy physical labor. It exhausts the body and causes industrial injuries. That is why employers try to insure workers in production.
- Stress. Men are more likely to occupy leadership positions, which is associated with high levels of stress. Constant stress causes an increase in blood pressure, which leads to diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- Sport. Extreme sports are traditionally a male prerogative. Any such activity is associated with an increased risk of injury. Many athletes insure against disability, knowing that the likelihood of accidents is extremely high.
Men live less than women in every country in the world. But in states with a higher level of medicine, the gap is reduced to 2-3 years. Of course, the average Russian does not have access to treatment in other countries. But this issue can be solved with the help of insurance. There are special programs that cover travel, accommodation and medical care in the best clinics in the world. Such insurances include critical illnesses, such as oncology.
Causes of early death
Life expectancy is the average for all people born in the same year. Many factors influence the actual number of years lived:
- genetic characteristics of a particular person;
- Lifestyle;
- environmental conditions;
- the level of medical care and hygiene in general.
It is impossible to influence genetics, but other factors are crucial for longevity. Bad habits, malnutrition, stress cause many diseases. Here are the main causes of death, because of which men do not live even to retirement:
- cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke, coronary heart disease);
- external factors (traffic accidents, attacks, dangerous sports);
- oncology (cancer of the lung, prostate, rectum).
The Russian Ministry of Health believes that more than 40% of male deaths could be prevented. At the same time, another 17% of people could not even face the disease thanks to early prevention. This means that a timely examination would help almost half of men live longer and feel better.
How to live longer
Science is constantly looking for a way to increase life expectancy. But all researchers agree that for men, the first step to longevity is a change in lifestyle:
- rejection of bad habits;
- regular examination by doctors;
- reduction of external factors leading to premature death.
Everyone knows about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Proper nutrition, refusal of nicotine and alcohol, moderate physical activity can extend the life of the human body. This aspect of longevity needs no further explanation.
Another thing is the importance of regular examinations. Many diseases can be cured in the early stages or even prevented. So, oncology can be cured in 90% of cases if it is detected in a timely manner. But most men do not undergo medical examinations and appear at the doctor only as a last resort.
A preventive check-up for a man of any age should include:
- basic blood tests (general, biochemistry, lipid profile, TSH, genital infections);
- electrocardiogram;
- Ultrasound of the main organs (abdominal cavity, thyroid gland, genitourinary system, genital organs);
- consultations of specialists (therapist, dentist, oculist).
After 40 years, you need to check the level of testosterone and visit a cardiologist. It is also important to control chronic diseases that may already be detected by this age.
The most difficult thing is to cope with external factors leading to premature death. It is not in our power to prevent accidents. One option is to take out insurance that will cover the cost of treatment. It is better for men to choose long-term programs, otherwise there is a high probability of forgetting to conclude a new contract. For example, you can choose a policy for 5 years. Or even take out an investment insurance program. It helps to form large capital, to receive additional income and at the same time provides protection against accidents. Do not forget about situational insurance. For example, to issue special policies before the operation and vacation. So you can get a payout for restoring your health if something doesn’t go according to plan.