According to Drefahl’s report in the journal Demography, a man who is between seven and nine years older than his wife has an 11% lower mortality rate than a man whose wife is the same age as him. However, a woman who is between seven and nine years older than her husband has a 20% greater mortality rate than if she were with a man the same age.
The article includes a nice graph,
Women marrying a partner seven to nine years younger increase their relative mortality risk by 20% compared with couples where both are the same age. But the relative mortality risk of a husband who is seven to nine years older is reduced by 11%. Source: Sven Drefahl
Considering that the research was done in Germany, does that apply to people in other countries?
My sweetie is 13 years younger. I’m going to live till I’m 144 years old (that’s gross, I know). And on my 144th birthday, I’ll be shot to death by a jealous bride-groom, and he’ll have reason to be jealous. 🙂
Yeah, but maybe they die with a smile on their face?
Isn’t the risk of dying 100% no matter what?
Expat,
It’s not just the years in your life, is the life in your years. As Bingley said, they die with a smile on their faces.
My personal insight on this subject is I would rather have a few years of incredible over many years of hum drum. I am happier for being with my younger man and if this shaves a few years off my survival rate then so be it. Nothing worth having comes without a cost. I have been married to a man my own age and truth be said, I would have slit my own wrist had I stayed married to a man who was controlling, possessive, and narrow minded.
> Considering that the research was done in Germany, does that apply to people in other countries?
One would assume, but of course getting the stats is always a good idea.
> Isn’t the risk of dying 100% no matter what?
No, there’s at least one exception. I wouldn’t count on it applying to you or me, of course.
😀
> I would have slit my own wrist had I stayed married to a man who was controlling, possessive, and narrow minded.
Ummmm, last I checked these qualities were not directly tied to age in any reliable manner.
To those “cougars” among you: More power to ya. But I do want to suggest that you should be rejective of catty statements about M-F age differentials, in both directions. I’m not saying you openly contribute, but few women defend, which is a form of contribution. Let people be happy with their own choices, and tell Mrs. Grundy to go fly a kite — it’s not her place to approve or disapprove.