Find out the best ways to calculate your life expectancy.
Our life expectancy is how long we are likely to live. It is determined by a range of factors such as our age, gender, health, lifestyle choices and where we live – all of which can be used to determine the average age at which we are likely to die.
How do I calculate out my life expectancy?
The following methods can be used to forecast life expectancy among populations:
- Compare your birth date with the average age of death. Look at the figures for your birth date (ie, if you were born in 1941 and the average age of death for those born in 1941 is 76, then your average life expectancy is 76).
- Use a calculator. A calculator looks at variables such as your lifestyle choices, family history and occupation and comparing those with the average death rates for people in the same categories.
- Tip: Look at 'healthy life expectancy'. Measuring not only your life expectancy, but also the number of years you are likely to remain healthy (a method used by the World Health Organisation to compare healthy life expectancy around the world). Some calculators let you look at this.
1. Estimate your average life expectancy based on data from the AIHW or ABS
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has used historical data to compare the life expectancy of today’s Australians with those born last century. Therefore, if you were born in the 2010s, your average life expectancy is 80 if you are male and 84 if you are female. This is 34 years longer than those born in the 1880s, when the average life expectancy for males was only 47 and 50 for females.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) calculates life expectancy based on population death patterns over three-year periods. So if you were born in 2001, you can expect to live until you are 77 if you are male and 82 if you are female. If you reach the age of 65, you can expect to live until 94 if you are male and 97 if you are female.
Similarly, if you were born in 2012, you can expect to live until 79 if you are male and 84 if you are female, and if you reach 65, you can expect to live until 98 if you are male and 106 if you are female.
2. Life expectancy calculators
There are a number of online life expectancy calculators provided by various organisations and life insurance providers. If you wish to more accurately determine your average life expectancy, try one of these:
The Death Clock
The The Death Clock is a fast, simple calculation based on your answers to six questions including your DOB, sex, smoking status, BMI, outlook on life, alcohol consumption and the country you live in.
Pros
- Super quick and simple to do
Cons
- Doesn't provide additional tips and information
The AMP Life Expectancy Calculator
The AMP Life Expectancy Calculator offers a more detailed series of questions about your personal health, lifestyle choices, family history, financial situation and the environment you live in.
Pros
- Australian-based (more relevant to Australian users)
- Captures various lifestyle factors
Cons
- Longer process
- Doesn't provide additional tips and information
My Longevity
My Longevity calculates your life expectancy based on questions covering five main areas, including your surroundings, your health, your attitude, your family history and your eating habits.
Pros
- Captures unique lifestyle factors e.g. your attitude
- Looks at unique personal factors e.g. the health of your parents
Cons
- Not Australian-based
Abaris Life Expectancy Calculator
The Abaris Life Expectancy Calculator works out your life expectancy based on a series of questions covering age and physique, education, marital status, work status, income, fitness and lifestyle choices.
Pros
- Provides you with a comparison of how long you will live vs your peers
- Tips on how to increase life expectancy
- Show's the impact of different factors on your life expectancy e.g. smoking, drinking, attitudes towards health
Cons
- Not Australian-based
Bupa Quick health Age Check
The Bupa Quick Health Age Check. This health check calculates your age in terms of how healthy you are and your chances of dying before 90 due to preventable lifestyle choices and non-preventable family health conditions.
Pros
- Provides you with a percentage chance of death, diabettes and heart disease before a chosen age
- Shows you your "health age" vs your actual age
- Australian-based (more relevant to Australian users)
Cons
- Doesn't give you life expectancy but a percentage chance of death by an age instead
What factors influence life expectancy?
As the topics covered in these calculators demonstrate, the following factors can influence life expectancy:
- Socio-economic factors. These include factors such as living and working conditions as well as race and income.
- Lifestyle factors. This covers factors such as whether we smoke and drink as well as how much we exercise.
- Health factors. These cover how healthy we are, our diet, our BMI and our family health history.
- Geographical factors. These look at whether we live in a developed or developing country, our exposure to danger or disease and our access to affordable health care.
How can I increase my life expectancy?
While some factors, such as the country we live in or our family health history, may be beyond our control, it is possible to influence other factors that contribute to how long we are likely to live.
One of the biggest positive changes we can make is to improve our lifestyle choices. Many experts believe that simply by drinking less alcohol, quitting smoking and pursuing a more active lifestyle, the average person can add several years to their current life expectancy.
Of course you could walk under a bus tomorrow, but that’s because life doesn’t come with guarantees and all we can really do to improve our chances of living to a ripe old age is to focus on those things that are within our power to control.
