Men 'narrow' life expectancy gap

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Scotland's top doctor has said that men are narrowing the life expectancy gap with women because they are more likely to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Chief Medical Officer Harry Burns said that since 1980 male life expectancy had risen by 6.6 years to 75.3 years and by 4.9 years to 80 among females.

He said this was due to falling smoking levels and because more men were reaching recommended exercise levels.

Dr Burns said lung cancer may be more common among women than men by 2010.

He used his annual report to highlight the narrowing gap between the number of years men and women can expect to live.

Dr Burns said: "In every country women live longer than men and the same is true for Scotland.

"However current data suggests that men are narrowing the gap.

The conventional causes of premature death have been replaced by others Dr Harry Burns <a class="" href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/12/16103619/0">Read the full report here</a>

"An examination of health-related behaviours suggests that Scots men appear to be more likely than Scots women to adopt healthy behaviours."

He said that in particular, men in Scotland were less likely to be smokers than in the past and this changing pattern of behaviour appeared to be now accelerating gains in life expectancy.

The report also said that over the last 10 years more men than women have achieved the recommended levels for exercise.

Dr Burns said: "The fact that males appear to be exercising slightly more frequently than females may be contributing to the narrowed gap in life expectancy."

Deaths from heart attack, stroke and cancer in the under-75s had all fallen in the last 10 years, according to the report.

But Dr Burns added: "The conventional causes of premature death have been replaced by others.

"An examination of the statistics suggests that deaths due to alcohol, addictions, injury and suicide are increasing, particularly in the more deprived areas of Scotland."

Mental health

Scotland now has one of the highest rates of deaths from liver cirrhosis in Europe, whereas in the 1970s it had one of the lowest.

Dr Burns said alcohol can have a considerable impact on mental health as well.

He also highlighted the dangers of obesity, saying there was now little doubt "that Scots are following a similar pattern of eating behaviour to the Americans".

Dr Burns stressed the importance of establishing healthy habits in childhood to help tackle such problems.

He added: "We all know what the healthier choices are: drinking less, not smoking, exercising more and eating sensibly.

"And evidence shows this could add up to 13 years of extra life. So why aren't we a healthier nation?

"Nurturing our children and developing their sense of control over their lives will give them the resources they need to look after themselves and make healthy choices in life."