Differences in smoking behavior explain north-south differences in life expectancy

According to a study by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BIB), a north-south divide in general life expectancy observed in Germany can largely be explained by different smoking habits. As the BIB reported on Wednesday in Wiesbaden, the regional smoking-related lifetime loss in North Rhine-Westphalia, at 1.7 years, is almost twice as high as in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. There it is only one year.

According to the BIB, the results of the study, which is based on an internationally recognized estimation method, indicate that this factor explains the regional differences in life expectancy in Germany "to a large extent". According to this, these are long-term consequences of different consumer behavior that emerged during the massive spread of smoking in the last century. People smoked more in the north and especially in the west.

The researchers see the reason for this in social and economic differences. “In recent decades, smoking has become increasingly concentrated in socially disadvantaged sections of the population. Economically weaker regions tend to have a higher proportion of smokers," explained BIB Research Director Sebastian Klüseler. Thus, the own study results are ultimately also compatible with the common explanatory approaches that justify differences in life expectancy socio-economically.

According to the Federal Institute, a general west-east divide in life expectancy, which can also be read from the statistics, is only explained to a "smaller part" by regionally different smoking habits. Other factors are more important, reported BIB research group leader Pavel Grigoriev. These influences result “among other things from the difficult transformation process with high unemployment after reunification”.

According to the BIB, however, this could change in the future because "particularly" in East Germany after 1990 people smoked more. According to their own statements, the experts are also concerned about the development of smoking among women. Among them, the habit spread later than among men.

It is true that the life expectancy of women is still somewhat less affected by the negative consequences of smoking than is the case for men. However, the health effects in men due to changing smoking habits are already declining, while the effects in women continue to worsen. Again, this is especially true in the east.

According to the BIB, life expectancy in Germany is statistically reduced by a total of 0.9 years as a result of the consequences of smoking. The regional values ​​vary between 0.6 and 1.3 years. The national average of 1.4 years of lost lifetime for men due to smoking. For women it is around 0.9 years. The analysis is based on evaluations of the official so-called mortality rates in connection with scientifically established estimation methods.

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