It is a rather morbid subject for a Friday, but have you ever wondered how long you might live? The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released a new calculator that reveals exactly how long you can expect to live, based on your age and gender. To try it, simply type in your current age and select your sex, then click 'Calculate average life expectancy'. Within seconds, the calculator will show your average life expectancy and the chance you will live to 68, 90, and 100 years.
This comes as new figures indicate that around a quarter of girls and a fifth of boys born in the UK in 2049 are expected to live until at least 100 years of age. The ONS explained that 19.1% of girls and 12.0% of boys born in 2024 are expected to live to at least age 100. These percentages are projected to increase to 26.3% of girls and 18.3% of boys born in 2049. By 2074, 33.9% of baby girls and 25.4% of baby boys are expected to live to age 100 or over.
The data is modelled on past trends in annual death registrations and combined with input from a panel of experts. It suggests that girls born in the UK in 2024 can expect to live to an average of 90.2 years, while boys born that year will live to 86.9 years on average. In 2049, life expectancy is projected to be 92.4 years for girls and 89.6 years for boys, an increase of 2.2 years and 2.6 years respectively from 2024. Of babies born in 2049, some 26.3% of girls and 19.1% of boys are expected to live to see their 100th birthday, up from 19.1% of girls and 12.0% of boys born in 2024.
The new figures also show that the gap in life expectancy between females and males in the UK is falling. In 1981, this gap was 4.4 years. In 2024, the gap had fallen to just 3.3 years, and by 2029 it is projected to fall further to 2.9 years. The data also suggests that women who were 65 in the UK in 2024 can expect to live a further 22.7 years on average, with men living a further 20 years. The 2024 projections are similar to those published for 2022, the ONS said.
All data is based on what is known as cohort life expectancy, which takes into account projected changes in mortality patterns over the lifetime of a group of people with the same year of birth. The ONS explained that cohort life expectancy is seen as a more realistic measure of how long a person can expect to live because it accounts for future projected improvements in mortality. A cohort refers to people with the same year of birth.
The news comes shortly after researchers revealed foods that can help you live longer. An analysis of more than 100,000 people in the UK found that women should stick to the 'Alternate Mediterranean Diet' while the 'Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet' is most beneficial for men. Both have similarities, including eating more fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats while avoiding processed meats. However, there are key differences: women should emphasize the high consumption of whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, and oats, while it is more important for men to drink coffee and avoid sugary drinks. Writing in the journal Science Advances, the team said they found a 'significant association' between various healthy diets and prolonged life expectancy, underscoring the importance of adhering to healthy dietary patterns for extending life expectancy.
