SCHAUMBURG, ILL.-- The causes of higher mortality for males than females are mysterious, but a new study from the Society of Actuaries finds research indicating both biological and behavioral causes. "Why Men Die Younger: Causes of Mortality Differences by Sex," by Seattle actuary Barbara Blatt Kalben, is an exhaustive review of centuries of medical and demographic studies including statistical data going back to pre-history.
The study finds evidence suggesting the sex chromosomes and hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen, tend to increase longevity for females and decrease it for males. Risk taking behavior, especially cigarette smoking, also contributes to males dying at younger ages.
"Many have concluded that the male is the weaker or frailer of the sexes," Kalben says in what may be the most comprehensive study to date on the differences in mortality between males and females. Males have greater mortality at every age, even before birth. This is true regardless of race, nationality, profession, or income level, and in virtually every country. Evidence of greater male mortality exists since at least since the 14thcentury.
Females have the advantage in the animal kingdom, too. In almost every animal species studied, including crustaceans, mollusks, insects, spiders, reptiles, fish, and mammals, including primates, males have higher mortality rates than do the females. Birds, because of their chromosomecomposition, tend to be the exception.
Male death rates are greater, sometimes much greater, than comparable female rates for almost all major causes of death. Men die younger from heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), infections and diabetes mellitus. To these killers can be added deaths by accidents, suicide and homicide, which all strike down men in greater numbers than women. Of the 72 causes of death considered in the study, only six have higher mortality rates for women: breast cancer, Alzheimer's disease, asthma, rheumatic fever, pregnancy/childbirth and kidney infections.
Age-Adjusted U.S. Death Rates for Major Causes of Death Graph (Excel File)
The primarily male hormone testosterone plays havoc biologically and behaviorally with men's bodies. In fact, studies of castrated men, whose bodies stopped producing testosterone, found that they lived 10 years longer than the norm. The primarily female hormone estrogen, on the other hand, tends to protect the female heart from rapid aging.
Behaviorally, testosterone tends to lead males to take dangerous risks and have more accidents, which contribute to men dying younger. Men tend to smoke more than women and studies show that cigarette smokers die nine years younger than nonsmokers on average. Men also tend to indulge more in such life threatening behaviors as drinking alcohol and illegal drug use.
For years, many observers blamed higher male mortality on most men being in the labor force while most women stayed home. But, Kalben says, studies show that women in the workforce actually have lower, sometimes substantially lower, mortality rates than women who don't work outside the home.
"Why Men Die Younger: Causes of Mortality Differences by Sex" is available to members of the media by calling Linda Heacox at 847-706-3528 or by e-mail lheacox@soa.org. It is available for sale to the general public.
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Actuaries are professionals who evaluate risk by using statistical and economic models. The Society of Actuaries is the primary educational, research and professional membership organization for actuaries in the fields of life and health insurance, investment, pension, and employee benefits in the United States and Canada. www.soa.org
