Danes’ life expectancy is rising – men with the greatest progress

A new report from ATP shows that Danes’ life expectancy is once again increasing – and this year it is especially men who are driving the average up. The life expectancy for 67-year-old men has increased by five months in 2024, marking the largest increase for men in 15 years. For women of the same age, life expectancy has increased by 2.6 months.

-“A nearly half-year increase in life expectancy for Danish men is quite significant. It is only the second time in the last 30 years that life expectancy for men has increased by this much in a single year,” says Camilla Fredsgaard Larsen, Chief Actuary at ATP.

Although men have had the greatest progress this year, women still live longer. A 67-year-old woman can expect to live to 86.7 years today, while a man of the same age on average can expect to live to 84.2 years.

However, Denmark still lags behind compared to countries like Sweden and Norway, where life expectancy is about one year higher for both men and women.

The increase in life expectancy comes after two years of decline during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2023, the trend has been positive again, and Denmark is now back to the pre-pandemic level. According to ATP, the recent years have seen significant fluctuations, but the long-term trend shows that life expectancy is generally increasing – albeit at a slower pace than ten years ago.

Looking ahead, ATP expects continued improvements in life expectancy. Projections show that both men and women who are 67 years old today can expect to live about two years longer in the future. This is due in part to healthier lifestyles and advancements in medical science.