Children, marriage, location: do these life choices impact life expectancy?
Reassured, the UK’s largest life insurance broker has analysed recent ONS research to see how different life choices can impact life expectancy. The analysis looks at which UK locations have the longest life expectancy and what significance factors such as marriage and children have. We all know those lifestyle choices such as a healthy diet and keeping active impact longevity, but do life choices impact life expectancy in the same way?
The average life expectancy for UK men is currently 84.3 years compared to women who have an average life expectancy of 87.2 years. Women on average live nearly three years longer than men but does this change depending on certain life choices you make?
Do those without children live longer than those with?
Children can be extremely hard work and it would be no surprise if they had a negative impact on life expectancy. However, the findings show the opposite, as having children actually increases the life expectancy of both men and women.
The life expectancy for fathers is 85.7 years which is over a year above the average, while men who don’t have children have an average life expectancy of 82.9 years which is almost three years less than men who are parents.
It is a similar pattern for women too, with mothers having an average life expectancy of 88.3 years but women without a child having an average life expectancy of 86 years. Notably still higher than men with or without children.
Various reasons have been cited for this positive impact on living a long and healthy life. Some suggest that adults with children have more social interactions and build a better support network, which is beneficial for physical and mental health. Others suggest that the main benefit is the support given to parents as they age and their health begins to deteriorate. One suspects the two reasons go hand-in-hand!
How does marriage impact life expectancy?
The findings show marriage has differing impacts on the life expectancy of men and women. A married man’s life expectancy was 1.1 years greater than the average at 85.4 years. While, married women have an average life expectancy of 86.2 years, which is a year less than the average for a women. The data suggesting women who want to live longer may want to stay single!
However, Sara Davison, The Divorce Coach, believes it’s still worthwhile looking for love though, even if it could affect your life expectancy: “Love and connection is one of our primary needs, so it’s a vital ingredient for a happy and fulfilled life. They say that nothing worth having comes easy and a healthy relationship takes hard work, commitment, and a willingness to adapt and grow with your partner.”
One wonders if these statistics will change in future years as young couples take a more balanced approach to home life rather than the historical role of women taking the brunt of housework, child-rearing, whilst often also building their own careers
Location can differ how much time we spend in ‘good health’
The analysis from Reassured has found that the small idyllic Orkney Islands has the highest percentage of their life spent in ‘good health’ for both men (87.7%) and women (91.2%). In contrast, the worst performing area Blackpool shows huge differences, with men only spending 72.2% of their life in good health and women just 69.5%.
The South-East of England has the highest life expectancy in the UK, at an average of 87 years, with women who live in the South-East having an extremely high life expectancy of 88.3 years. Whereas Scottish people have the lowest life expectancy of just 83.9 years.
Unfortunately, although successive governments have tried to reduce the inequalities gap, the pandemic has affected inequalities in education, training, wages, employment, and health which are inevitably reflected in geographical locations. However, it is important to remember that in some counties it is quite common to find one of the most affluent areas almost immediately adjacent to some of the most disadvantaged. If you are thinking of moving, choose your location carefully!
Steve Marshall CEO at Reassured summarised the findings:
“Life is often described as being short. But it’s fascinating to see how many elements of our everyday lives can impact these numbers, which is why we believe it’s so essential to cherish the moments we have with our loved ones, and to also ensure we have the necessary financial protection in place.”