Life expectancy increases for English men

English men enjoy a higher life expectancy than all but Italy and Sweden among EU countries, according to government health statistics.

Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show that men in England were expected to live for 76.6 years in 2003, almost two years above the average in the EU.

Women were reported to live for 80.9 years on average, slightly below the average for Europe, which is 81.1 years.

Myer Glickman, an ONS statistician, said: “On most fronts, health in the UK on the whole is improving, particularly life expectancy, which every year is increasing.”

Over recent years, the increase in life expectancy among older adults has been pronounced.

Between 1970 and 2004, life expectancy at age 65 in England and Wales increased by four and a half years for men and three and a half years for women.

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