Health · Medical Research · 4 hrs ago
Researchers link gender norms to poorer health and shorter lives for men
A series of papers in The Lancet examines why men have shorter life expectancy than women and lose 16% more healthy years to illness or early death.
The researchers say the gap reflects more than biology or individual choices: social and commercial forces also shape health.
Some masculine norms can encourage smoking and drinking, or lead men to dismiss symptoms and health concerns.
Men’s health risks are unequal, with poverty, racism, marginalisation and other disadvantages increasing vulnerability for some groups.
The researchers argue that public policy has not paid enough attention to men’s health, leaving space for online communities focused on masculinity to shape the debate.
They call for action on men’s health alongside efforts to improve women’s health, including partnerships to address gender and structural inequalities.
A series of articles in The Lancet links gender norms and structural inequalities to poorer health and shorter lives for men.
Men have lower life expectancy, and years of healthy life lost through illness or premature death are 16% higher than for women.
The researchers say norms associated with hegemonic or “toxic” masculinity can encourage smoking and alcohol use, or lead men to ignore health concerns.
They argue that public policies have not paid enough attention to men’s health, while stressing that addressing it need not come at the expense of women’s health.
Some experts consulted dispute that men’s health has been neglected, noting that medicine has historically used a male model while women’s health was overlooked.
- Who
- Researchers who authored a series of articles in The Lancet, including Sally Theobald.
- What
- The researchers link gender norms and structural inequalities to men’s poorer health and shorter lives.
- When
- The series was published on Thursday; the article is dated October 29, 2026.
- Where
- The Lancet published the series. The article does not state where the research was conducted.
- Why
- The researchers say gender norms and structural, social and commercial factors can encourage unhealthy behaviours and deter men from seeking care.
The Lancet series authors
Some experts consulted
Whether men’s health is neglected
The Lancet series authors
The authors argue that men’s health has received insufficient attention in public policies.
Some experts consulted
They dispute that men’s health has been neglected, pointing to medicine’s historical reliance on a male model and the invisibility of women’s health.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Healthy life lost
- 16% more for men than for women
- Publication
- The Lancet
- Published
- Thursday; El País article dated October 29, 2026
- Author quoted
- Sally Theobald, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine researcher
What people are saying
We need strategic alliances to dismantle patriarchal systems and structural inequalities that harm the health and well-being of everyone.
Hegemonic or “toxic” masculinities can be harmful to men as well as women and people of other genders.