On 2016 Jun 28, thomas samaras commented:

Certainly the authors have a point that hormonal and immunological characteristics affect the differences in longevity between men and women. However, women also have more complex bodies due to their reproductive role. In earlier years, females had similar or lower life expectancies compared to men. This was likely due to high death rates during birth from infections or birth complications without the benefits of modern medicine. Since many women in the past gave birth to many more children compared to today, they were obviously at high risk of reduced longevity.

There's another explanation for the difference in longevity between males and females. The larger size of males, who have the same same length telomeres at birth, exhibit faster shortening of telomeres with aging due to their bigger bodies and increased cell replication needs during their lifetimes. Maier et al. found shorter people at 90 years of age had longer telomeres and lived longer than taller people. Other studies have found shorter telomeres are related to increased CVD and reduced longevity (Cameron; Salpea). Studies of birds by Barrett some years ago and Ringsby (more recently) found that breeding for smaller size resulted in longer telomeres and reduced mortality.

Promislow and Moore in two different studies found that when male mammals are larger than females in a species, the males have greater mortality. And this increase in mortality correlates with increasing body mass. However, when females are larger within the same species, the females have a higher mortality. So body size differences appear to drive differences in mortality. Rollo observed this when he adjusted for differences in males and female body weight and found that the difference in longevity disappeared. Miller also found that when he compared human males and females of the same height, the difference in longevity was small. Poulain found that males and females in a mountainous village in Sardinia were equally likely of reaching centenarian status. Males averaged about 5'3 when they were young and no doubt somewhat taller than the women. However, the men spent the days in the fields or shepherding while the women stayed home. This paradox may be explained by a lower body weight for the men compared to the women.

Data from the Bulletin of WHO (1992) showed a consistent inverse relationship between male and female height differences and life expectancy. These findings are listed below. The first entry identifies the population, the second shows the percent increase in height for males compared to females and the third entry shows the decrease in life expectancy vs. increase in height.

1. 21 European countries averaged together: 7.3% vs. 7.5%

2. California White males vs. females: 9.0% vs. - 9.1%

3. California Asians males vs. females: 7.8% vs. - 7.7%

4. Califonria Hispanic males vs. females: 8.5% vs. - 9.3%

5. California Black males vs. females: 8.7% vs. - 11.7% (This difference may be due to much higher death rate due to violence among Black males)

6. US veterans (males vs. male): 6.4% vs. - 6.9%

7. Baseball players (male vs. male): 4.5% vs. - 4.4%

More recent data collected, included the US, Japan, and Poland. The results were essentially the same, including a comparison between Finnish basketball players vs. cross-country skiers (data provided by Sarna, et al.). The results were: basketball players were 8% taller and had an 8.7% shorter life expectancy.

On 2016 Jun 28, thomas samaras commented:

Certainly the authors have a point that hormonal and immunological characteristics affect the differences in longevity between men and women. However, women also have more complex bodies due to their reproductive role. In earlier years, females had similar or lower life expectancies compared to men. This was likely due to high death rates during birth from infections or birth complications without the benefits of modern medicine. Since many women in the past gave birth to many more children compared to today, they were obviously at high risk of reduced longevity.

There's another explanation for the difference in longevity between males and females. The larger size of males, who have the same same length telomeres at birth, exhibit faster shortening of telomeres with aging due to their bigger bodies and increased cell replication needs during their lifetimes. Maier et al. found shorter people at 90 years of age had longer telomeres and lived longer than taller people. Other studies have found shorter telomeres are related to increased CVD and reduced longevity (Cameron; Salpea). Studies of birds by Barrett some years ago and Ringsby (more recently) found that breeding for smaller size resulted in longer telomeres and reduced mortality.

Promislow and Moore in two different studies found that when male mammals are larger than females in a species, the males have greater mortality. And this increase in mortality correlates with increasing body mass. However, when females are larger within the same species, the females have a higher mortality. So body size differences appear to drive differences in mortality. Rollo observed this when he adjusted for differences in males and female body weight and found that the difference in longevity disappeared. Miller also found that when he compared human males and females of the same height, the difference in longevity was small. Poulain found that males and females in a mountainous village in Sardinia were equally likely of reaching centenarian status. Males averaged about 5'3 when they were young and no doubt somewhat taller than the women. However, the men spent the days in the fields or shepherding while the women stayed home. This paradox may be explained by a lower body weight for the men compared to the women.

Data from the Bulletin of WHO (1992) showed a consistent inverse relationship between male and female height differences and life expectancy. These findings are listed below. The first entry identifies the population, the second shows the percent increase in height for males compared to females and the third entry shows the decrease in life expectancy vs. increase in height.

1. 21 European countries averaged together: 7.3% vs. 7.5%

2. California White males vs. females: 9.0% vs. - 9.1%

3. California Asians males vs. females: 7.8% vs. - 7.7%

4. Califonria Hispanic males vs. females: 8.5% vs. - 9.3%

5. California Black males vs. females: 8.7% vs. - 11.7% (This difference may be due to much higher death rate due to violence among Black males)

6. US veterans (males vs. male): 6.4% vs. - 6.9%

7. Baseball players (male vs. male): 4.5% vs. - 4.4%

More recent data collected, included the US, Japan, and Poland. The results were essentially the same, including a comparison between Finnish basketball players vs. cross-country skiers (data provided by Sarna, et al.). The results were: basketball players were 8% taller and had an 8.7% shorter life expectancy.