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Life expectancy in Belize now 73.7

HighlightsLife expectancy in Belize now 73.7

Male babies born today can expect to live to the age of 71.1, and females to the age of 76.6

Despite a surge in murders and an escalation in lifestyle diseases which rank among the leading causes of death in Belize, life expectancy at birth has grown overall by 4 years since 2000, according to the latest life tables published by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB). Those tables furthermore indicate that females, generally, tend to live about 5 years longer than males.

Today’s newborns are expected to live to the age of 73.7, up from the 68.5 years which newborns in 1980 were expected to live, and a 50-year-old can expect to live another quarter-century.

Jacqueline Small, demographer at SIB, underscores the fact that despite the numbers, there are no guarantees that anyone will live out their expected lifespan.

Small indicated that for persons who survive their first year of life, their life expectancy goes up.

“Newborns are really susceptible to things like birth defects and respiratory illnesses, and so they have a much higher chance of dying during [the] first year of life than the rest of the population,” she explained.

Males have a lower life expectancy than females, even from birth.

Small noted that, “Belizean newborn [female] babies can expect to live an average of about 77 years, while males can expect to live an average of about 71 years.”

As the years progress, though, the difference levels out. For example, an 80-year-old man today is expected to live up to another 10 years, the same as a female his age.

Small explained that one factor is a person’s genetic makeup, and boys tend to succumb at a higher rate than girls during their first year of life.

She also noted that men are far more likely than women to engage in risky behaviors such as fast driving, drinking under the influence of alcohol, behaviors that can lead to violent deaths and furthermore, males tend not to seek healthcare as readily as females do.

Small said that bridging the 5-year gap between the sexes will require an attitude and lifestyle change, especially as it relates to young adults.

Small also noted that a mother’s lifestyle affects the health of her newborn, and proper care can decrease the infant mortality rate, which currently stands at 16.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Small said that the life tables which the SIB released today are useful for insurance companies, which may use the information to design policies; as well as the government, which can use them to figure out the amount of pension layouts it would be required to pay retirees. For example, if a government worker is just retiring, Government can expect to pay on average about 26 years of pension to that person.

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