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It’s common knowledge that women outlive men, on average, by several years, but new information from the US Census indicates the gap is shrinking. During the years between 1989 and 2009, life expectancy for men in the United States grew by 4.6 years, while American women increased their longevity by 2.7 years. Life expectancy in 2009 ranged from 66.1 to 81.6 years for men and 73.5 to 86.0 years for women.


Some of the reasons offered for the narrowing gap are:

• Fewer men are smoking these days

• Women are more likely to become obese

• Men are more vigilant about seeking care for cardiovascular issues

• Women typically demonstrate fewer warning signs of cardiovascular distress

• Men are also more likely to seek treatment for high blood pressure and high cholesterol

The county in America that reports the highest longevity for men is Marin County, just north of San Francisco.

This is my dad on his 90^th birthday.  He lives in Sonoma County, just north of Marin.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/05/27/2330421/longevity-gender-gap-narrowing.html

Katherine Generaux, Community Inclusion Director