Why Do Men Die Younger? Blame Evolution

July 19, 2004 -- It's not easy being male. Research shows men are naturally programmed to check out early — at least sooner than women.

Recent analysis by researchers at the University of Michigan showed that three men die for every woman during the years between adolescence and adulthood. In the broader view, 16 men die for every 10 women before the age of 50.

What's so hazardous about being male? Researchers believe it ultimately has to do with early programming and the other sex, or, rather, pursuit of them.

"There's a reason why there are societal expectations for men to be tough," said Daniel Kruger, a social psychologist at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and lead author of the study appearing in a recent issue of Evolutionary Psychology. "What happens is the behavioral tendencies that we're selected for in early history is still with us today."

Female Pursuit

Here's the idea: When it comes to reproduction, female mammals (including women) make a huge physical investment. Being pregnant consumes calories and energy that would normally be used for self survival. Then there is the danger that mothers face during childbirth and the costs of caring for young after they're born (for most mammals the mother is the primary caregiver).

Males, on the other hand, have minimal costs when it comes to reproducing. Because the cost is relatively low, males typically try and mate as much as possible. The trick, then, lies in convincing females to mate and this means beating out other males for the role. That means being aggressive and doing things that may not be great for personal survival, but helps gain status and win female attention.

"Basically the idea is men front end all their risk because it's important to reproduce early and often," said Benjamin Campbell, an expert in anthropology at Boston University.