How long we live, and how well we age, are determined by an array of factors, we know. There are the ones we have some control over, like lifestyle (which is why Annabel and I started this blog, almost 11 years ago!). And the ones we can’t control: genetics, health care provision, socio economic status, gender and race.
If you’re reading this, I’m sure you are, like Annabel and I, aiming for a long and healthy life. We want our remaining years to be both plentiful and healthy. In other words, our aim is that our health span is as closely aligned to our lifespan as possible. We know that, as women, we’re likely to live longer than our male peers. There are numerous reasons for this – men are more likely to work in dangerous occupations, smoke, drink heavily, be incarcerated. Fascinatingly, longevity may also be embedded in female genes.
The ‘unguarded X’
There’s a theory that the two X chromosomes we women carry protect each other, whereas having an X and Y chromosome, as men do, means that the single ‘X’ is ‘unguarded’. This makes it more likely to get damaged. Research from 2018 dug into this, looking at genetically modified mice with different combinations of sex chromosomes and reproductive organs. The mice with ovaries and two X chromosomes lived longest, followed by those with testes and two X chromosomes. The ones with XY chromosomes had shorter life spans. For obvious reasons, this research hasn’t been reproduced in humans (!) but it does illustrate the point about the ‘unguarded X’ hypothesis.
This theory also doesn’t explain why women have shorter health spans than men, and why we’re more likely to be frail at the end of our lives. We’re also twice as likely to develop dementia. There are so many factors at play here: economic, hormonal, educational attainment, societal expectations etc etc
Is life expectancy declining…?
For both men and women, overall longevity and life expectancy are tricky to quantify. Several new research papers have crossed my desk on the subject in recent weeks, with rather contradictory findings.
Life expectancy made huge strides throughout the twentieth century. In 1900 average life expectancy in the UK was 47 (driven mainly by high infant mortality rates and poor public health provision). By 2000 this had risen to 77. Now, one-quarter of the way through the twenty-first century, life expectancy for women in the UK is 83, and for men it’s 79.
But research by the University of East Anglia, published in The Lancet journal last month, revealed that the rate of life expectancy improvement is stalling across Europe. Out of 20 countries surveyed, England’s life expectancy improvement slowed the most, closely followed by that of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Not a great track record for the UK. The study covered the years 1990 to 2021, so of course, the Covid pandemic had an impact. But, more broadly, the researchers pointed the finger of blame at sedentary lifestyles, poor diet and obesity. Across, Europe, only the hardy Norwegians continue to enjoy the increase in life expectancy that has prevailed for the last few centuries.
….or increasing?
Contradicting that, potentially, were figures released by the Office of National Statistics here in the UK last month. They suggest that babies born in 2023 will have the longest-ever life expectancy, with the boys predicted to live to, on average, 86.7 and girls to 90. The survival gap between genders appears to be narrowing as men live healthier lives.
What does all this mean for us, as individuals, day by day? There are so many worthwhile actions to take. Annabel wrote about the combination of vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids and exercise a couple of weeks ago – catch up with that here. I wrote about the ‘flavo-diet’ earlier in January and actions I take each morning for my health here
Let us know in the comments what you’re doing to extend your health span!
Susan
I agree that we Brits are now quite sedentary but we also have a difficult climate to deal with. Many months of low light, lots of rain and damp and plenty of cold spells.
I am still amazed at how little British people understand about nutrition these days. My Grandmother, who was born in the 1890s knew perfectly well how to feed her large family well. Of course there were no ready meals and take ways, other than fish and chips, and far fewer sweet, sugary foods to buy. The availability of
sugary snacks, processed foods and bottles of strangely coloured pop can’t be doing us much good.
We also have a medical profession who want to medicate us rather than have any programmes to teach about the importance of life style, in fact the private slimming clubs do a better job than the NHS.
It is not surprising that women develop more dementia than men given that our life span is longer.
Humans largely enjoy and thrive on social contact which is being lost lately, I believe this particularly impacts women. A lot of social opportunities were shut down in covid, never to be revived. We need to reinvigorate the lost activities in our own community and keep us all involved and interacting with our neighbours.
You’re so right, Susie – community and connection is such an important part of ageing well, and reducing dementia risk. The reasons twice as many women as men develop dementia is more nuanced than simply living longer. It seems our hormones play a role, and a lot more besides. I think there’s a lot more great research to come on this.
Hello,
Always an interesting read. My wife and I try to go for a 3 mile run twice a week. I probably average at least 10,000 steps a day and I have adapted the Canadian 5BX plan . I do the one or two minute exercises but then stretch in between each one. I have added some squats and a plank as well. I do the exercises 2 or 3 times a week in theory. In practice I do them often enough to keep doing them, if that makes sense. We probably eat sensibly 80% of the time and the other 20% is usually home made just rather indulgent. I used to drink 3 times a week but for Lent I gave up drinking on Sundays. Annoyingly I feel the better for it but there is no way I am giving up my other two nights of alcohol. Fortunately I am retired and approaching 65. I stopped working at 55 and on balance it was the best thing I have done as I can enjoy not going to work. I was never someone who identified with what I did for a living so I did not miss it when I stopped. I missed the regular income but when my pension started at 60 it set my mind at ease. Off to the garden now as my tea has finished brewing.
Hello Charles, your lifestyle sounds great! Fantastic that you’re walking and doing the Canadian Basic Exercises. Enjoy retirement!