Dying to Be a Man

“Act like a man.”  This phrase, heard often by young men and boys, just might be a death sentence.

Men die younger than women. The life expectancy for men today is about 6 years less than for women. By age 35, women outnumber men, and the gap continues to widen with age.  Bt age 100, there are 8 women alive for every man.

It is not just heart attacks; men lead the way in all natural death categories, including cancer and strokes. But the biggest factor is that men die violently in far greater numbers than do women.

Researchers have noted that the gender gap in death rates is the highest in young adulthood, primarily because of risky and violent behaviors. Men drive faster and more aggressively than women and are less likely to wear seatbelts. Young men are also prone to random acts of stupidity in the form of dangerous stunts. Type “Stupid Stunts Gone Bad” into Google if you want to see a few thousand examples.

Mark Stibich, Ph.D., suggested ten behavioral changes men can make to avoid an early death.  The top five items are:
1.  Avoid Violence.    Boys aged 15-19 are twice as likely to be victims of homicide than girls.
2.  Drive Safely.   The automobile death rate for men is double that of women.
3.  Work Safely. 92% of workplace fatalities are male.  Many men work dangerous jobs, and Stibich notes that men don’t read instruction manuals which could lessen risks.
4.  Don’t Drink (Too Much), Smoke or Use Drugs.   Men do all three more than women.  There are, of course, long term health consequences for drinking and drugging, but these behaviors are also associated with risky behaviors in the short term (go back to your Google search).
5.  Get Regular Checkups.   Men usually don’t go the doctor unless something hurts.

The good news is that some fairly simple lifestyle changes could reduce the gender death rate disparity.  One reward for men who live longer may be in their sex lives. According to Cosmos Magazine, “Men are more than twice as likely as women to be sexually active in old age, and more likely to report it as good quality.”

While geriatric sex may not be on the radar of most young men, it might be a good reason not to set yourself on fire and ride your bike off the roof into a kiddie pool while your friend videotapes it.