Life expectancy for men in Britain is rapidly catching up with women, according to research. The gap in longevity between the two sexes has narrowed by almost 12 months over the past decade to 4.2 years — although men in some parts of London, Lincolnshire and Kent have closed the difference by three times the national average.
According to analysis by Club Vita, a consultancy that provides advice to the pensions industry, men from Ashford in Kent typically lived to 80.7 years in 2008 — an average rise of 5.3 years from 1998.
By contrast, female life expectancy in the town over the same period rose by only two years to 82.8 years.
Male life expectancy in the districts of South Holland and The Deepings in Lincolnshire has increased by 3.6 years over a decade, whereas the rise for women was only 0.6 years.
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Men living in Westminster, central London, can now expect to live to 82.6 years — more than eight years longer than in 1998. But life expectancy for women in the area increased by only 4.8 years.
Nick Flint, chief executive of Club Vita, said: “Men are indeed catching up with women. The decline of smoking has played a big part in this, but so to has the increase in gym membership, corporate health check-ups and men’s fitness magazines.
“Even the advent of Viagra has been important. Whereas many men in their fifties and sixties were very reluctant to take medical advice, the drug has encouraged men to go to see their doctor.
“Once there, other problems can be picked up.”
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