Life expectancy: Men closing in on women in Denmark

The disparity gap between the two sexes has dwindled considerably since 1992, according to new statistics

Feb 17, 2022

Men have traditionally had a lower average life expectancy than women – in Denmark and worldwide.

And while life expectancy has increased considerably in recent decades, the gap between the two genders remains at around four years.

This year, men have bridged that gap again – if only slightly.

According to Danmarks Statistik, men can expect to live to 79.6 years in 2020/2021, an increase of 0.1 years compared to the year before.

Meanwhile, the average life expectancy for women fell 0.2 years to 83.4.

Big change since 1992
While the life expectancy for women has increased by 1.6 years over the past decade, it is the second straight year in which they have seen a decline.

The disparity in life expectancy between men and women has reduced from 5.4 years in 1992 to 3.8 years now.

The rapid increase in life expectancy since the early 1990s is down to age-specific death rates falling over the past 30 years – primarily due to decreasing mortality rates among elderly age levels.

For instance, the mortality rate among 75-year-old men is currently on the same level as it was for 68-year-old men 30 years ago.

Improved public health and better treatment in the health sector are among the factors attributing to the change.

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