Since the late 1970s, men have gained seven years of life expectancy and women about five. Thus, men live on average until 79.5 years or 85.5 years for women, according to the results of theINSEE survey (the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) published on February 19.
This development benefits all social categories even if the gaps between executives and workers persist.
Different life expectancy according to the diplomas obtained
Male managers live an average of 6 years longer than manual workers under the mortality conditions of 2009-2013. Among women, social inequalities are less marked, only 3 years separate the life expectancy of managers and workers.
According to INSEE, workers are more likely to die prematurely. The explanation: the nature of the professions exercised. Managers are in fact less subject to professional risks (accidents, exposure to toxic products, professional diseases…) than workers.
In addition, executives belong to a social group whose lifestyles are favorable to a good health. On the other hand, risky health behaviors, less recourse and access to care, or even theobesity are more common among workers.
Thus, a 35-year-old man subjected all his life to these conditions of mortality has an 18% risk of dying before age 65 if he is a worker, against 7% if he is a manager (8% and 4% respectively for a woman).
Women live longer than men
Regardless of their social category, women live longer on average than men. At age 35, women would still live 50.5 years on average in metropolitan France, compared to 44.5 years for men of the same age, i.e. 6 years longer. Also, while male workers live less long than male executives, thelife expectancy female workers is one year higher than that of male managers!
Between them, women do not have marked differences in life expectancy, even if they are clear. Among graduates, the differences in life expectancy are less distinct according to the level of their diploma.
A woman with a higher education degree lives on average almost as long as a bachelor’s degree holder. The differences remain slight with a woman having a CAP or a BEP (1 year) or the patent or the certificate of studies (almost 2 years). However, a woman with a diploma lives considerably longer than a woman without a diploma (approximately 4 years).
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