Life expectancy of Helsinki men three years shorter than national average

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The life expectancy of men living in Helsinki is three years shorter than that of average Finnish males.
      Part of the shorter life expectancy can be explained by the fact that large cities gather an unusually large number of marginalised individuals whose problems are reflected in the actuarial statistics.
     
However, the way the men resident in the capital lead their life is far from perfect.
      ”In Helsinki, men smoke and consume more alcohol than males elsewhere in the country”, notes Outi Kupiainen, who is in charge of the capital’s health centres.
      Moreover, major differences can be seen in the health of men living in various districts of the capital.
     
”There is a substantial difference between the health of male citizens living for example in the district of Vallila, compared with that of the male residents of Ullanlinna”, notes Kupiainen.
      Other factors correlating with health include education and income level. The higher these both are, the better health and life expectancy normally prove to be.
      In order to influence the health differences between various districts, the City of Helsinki lanunched a campaign in 2006, summoning all male residents of Helsinki who turn 40 to health checks at their local health centres. The Kundit kondikseen (”Getting Guys in Shape") programme has been carried out in cooperation with the Helsinki branch of the Finnish Heart Association.
     
Last year the number of men who were invited to such checks was 1,446. In 2008, an invitation will be sent to those men who were born in 1968.
      Approximately 30 per cent of those who have received an invitation have actually turned up for health checks, while one-third of them have been found to carry a high risk for cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Helsinki invites middle-aged men to medical inspection (3.3.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat