Life expectancy: Fife’s rates are going down for men and women

Life expectancy growth across Fife has decreased, according to statistics published by National Records of Scotland.

It is one out of less than half of Scotland’s local authorities to record a decline for both men and women.

In the Kingdom,, the average life expectancy at birth for males was 77.1 years and 81.1 years for females between 2017-2019.

Between 2012 and 2014, it was 77.6 for males and 81.4 for females.

Across Scotland, life expectancy growth has experienced a slow-down, or a stall. Many areas now have decreasing life expectancy.

Fife continues to align with the national average, with life expectancy sitting at 77.3 years for males and 81.15 years for females across Scotland.

Inverclyde and Dundee have had the most dramatic fall in life expectancy from before 2012-2014 to after. Dundee fell from 75.3 to 73.9 for males and 80.1 to 79.5 for females. Inverclyde fell from 75.5 to 74.9 for males and 80.7 to 79 for females.

https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/people/staff-pupil-covid-transmission-confirmed-fife-school-2983141

Scotland continues to have the lowest life expectancy at birth of all UK countries. At birth in the UK was 79.4 years for males and 83.1 years for females in 2017-2019

Overall, Glasgow saw the lowest rates where males are expected to live to 73.6 years and females to 78.5.

Male life expectancy was the highest in East Dumbartonshire at 80.5 years.

Figures for 2017-2019, also show that deprivation has been a major factor

Women living in the least deprived areas are likely to live ten years longer than those in the most deprived areas. Men are are likely to live 13 years longer.

Julie Ramsay, head of vital events statistics at NRS, said: “The rate of life expectancy growth has stalled over the last few years in Scotland and this has been broadly reflective of the picture throughout the country.”

> Hannah Brown is the Local Democracy Reporter for Fife & Angus