29.09.11
Five times more centenarians than in 1980
There are five times more centenarians living in the UK today than in 1980, with 12,640 adults reaching the age of a hundred, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows. The research has been released to coincide with Older People’s Day on October 1.
Major contributions to this increase are due to the improved survival rate between the ages of 80 and 100, contributed to by better medical treatment, housing, nutrition and higher living standards.
The gap between male and female life expectancy is also closing, although more females still live for longer than males. In 2010, there were five female centenarians to every male centenarian.
The increase of life expectancy has impacted on the median age of the UK population, which stood at 39.7 years in 2010. This median varies considerably geographically, ranging from 52.7 to 29.2. This variation is due to the amounts of elderly people living in certain areas, for example due to a popular area for retirement compared to an area with a high student population.
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