Life expectancy hardly changed in 2012

Last year, male and female life expectancy were virtually the same as in 2011, but life expectancy is anticipated to increase further over the years to come.

Stagnation after long period of increase

Male life expectancy at birth was 79.1 years in 2012, roughly the same as in 2011. The stagnation follows a long period of increasing life expectancy and is partly caused by the relatively high mortality in 2012. Between 2001 and 2011, male life expectancy at birth improved by an average of 4.0 months annually.
With 82.8 years, female life expectancy at birth has also hardly changed relative to 2011. Since 2001, female life expectancy has increased by an average of 2.5 months annually.

Life expectancy at birth

Life expectancy at 65 also stable

The remaining life expectancy at 65 also barely changed. Last year, 65-year-old men had a life expectancy of 17.9 years, the same as one year previously. For 65-year-old women, the remaining life expectancy was 0.05 years down from 2011. On average, women will reach the age of 85.8 years.

Life expectancy likely to improve further

Year-on-year changes in life expectancy vary on a regular basis. The last time life expectancy declined for both genders was in 1993, following two flu outbreaks in that same year, but if a longer period is considered, it becomes obvious that life expectancy is improving.
Statistics Netherlands anticipates that life expectancy will continue to improve. The most recent population forecast suggests that in 2050 life expectancy at birth will be 85.7 years for men and 88.5 years for women. At the age of 65, the remaining life expectancy for men will be more than 5 years higher than in 2012 and for women approximately 4.5 years.

Remaining life expectancy at 65, 2012 and forecast

Lenny Stoeldraijer and Joop Garssen