Story: Men’s health

Male and female life expectancy, 1950–2014

This graph shows life expectancy at birth for men and women since 1950. Although there has been a general increase, life expectancy for men has increased faster than that of women, reducing the difference from about six years in the 1980s to about three years in 2014. However, a girl born in the 21st century can still expect to live longer than a boy born in the same year.

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How to cite this page:

Robert Beaglehole, 'Men’s health - Health of New Zealand men', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/graph/26951/male-and-female-life-expectancy-1950-2014 (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Robert Beaglehole, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 28 Apr 2020, updated 1 Jul 2017