CENTENARIANS — MEN vs. WOMEN

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Sorry, guys! In 2010, there were 80,000 centenarians in the U.S.; 85 percent of them were women, and only 15 percent were men.

It’s not entirely clear what’s causing the disparity. Theories include the protective role of female sex hormones and menstruation, lower rates of cardiovascular disease for women, and higher smoking rates among men. Men also have higher rates of car accidents and suicide.

The survival gap is gradually narrowing, however, possibly because women are living lives that are conventionally male in terms of stress and poorer health habits, especially smoking.

One bit of good news for men: Those who do reach the century mark are, on average, healthier and more functionally fit than their female counterparts. Women survive medical catastrophes better than men but with more disability.

Source: HealthYahoo.net