Last year, the male-female life expectancy gap stood at 6.6 years, an increase of nearly 61 percent from 1960. The mortality rate for men was also found to be 1.6 times greater than that of women, the report said.
Of the top 10 causes of death in Taiwan, men lead the way in perishing from a variety of illnesses, including cardiac, cerebral vascular, kidney, liver and lower respiratory diseases. Similarly, they top the charts when it comes to accidents and suicides.
The study also found that males are increasingly falling prey to the “three highs”—hypercholesteremia, hyperglycemia and hypertension.
Unhealthy living is cited as the key factor in the decrease of life expectancy for men. Males smoke and chew betel nut 8.4 and 14 times, respectively, more than females. And 51.6 percent of men are overweight or obese, compared to 36.4 percent for women. Diets lacking in fruit and vegetables were commonplace for Taiwan’s males.
But men seem blissfully unaware of their poor health, instead believing they are in good shape possibly due to their greater tendency to exercise.
Despite facing more health issues than women, males of all ages undertake fewer health checks and visits to outpatient clinics. This results in higher hospitalization rates and increased medical expenses, according to the report.
Chiou Shu-ti, director-general of the DOH Bureau of Health Promotion, urged men to embrace healthy living by improving their diets and smoking and drinking less. They should also conduct regular medical examinations and seek treatment at the first sign of illness, she said. (JSM)
Write to Elaine Hou at elainehou@mail.gio.gov.tw