title: Twentieth century surge of excess adult male mortality.
abstract: Using historical data from 1,763 birth cohorts from 1800 to 1935 in 13 developed countries, we show that what is now seen as normal-a large excess of female life expectancy in adulthood-is a demographic phenomenon that emerged among people born in the late 1800s. We show that excess adult male mortality is clearly rooted in specific age groups, 50-70, and that the sex asymmetry emerged in cohorts born after 1880 when male:female mortality ratios increased by as much as 50% from a baseline of about 1.1. Heart disease is the main condition associated with increased excess male mortality for those born after 1900. We further show that smoking-attributable deaths account for about 30% of excess male mortality at ages 50-70 for cohorts born in 1900-1935. However, after accounting for smoking, substantial excess male mortality at ages 50-70 remained, particularly from cardiovascular disease. The greater male vulnerability to cardiovascular conditions emerged with the reduction in infectious mortality and changes in health-related behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772; hirambeltran@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hiram
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beltrán-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191.
authors.forename: Caleb E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Finch
authors.affiliation: Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191.
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Crimmins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000266:history*; D012907:Smoking / Q000401:mortality
keywords: aging; cohort; excess male mortality; life expectancy; smoking