NZ male, female life expectancy gap narrows

Life expectancy at birth was 83.2 years for females and 79.5 years for males, based on death rates between 2012 and 2014. Photo / Thinkstock

The gap between male and female life expectancy at birth has narrowed, according to new data.

Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed the life expectancy for children has increased by one year for females and 1.5 years for males in the past eight years.

Life expectancy at birth was 83.2 years for females and 79.5 years for males, based on death rates between 2012 and 2014.

Females were expected to live four years longer than males born between 2005 and 2007, but were now expected to live 3.7 years longer.

The difference between Maori and non-Maori life expectancy has also decreased.

Between 2005 and 2007, a non-Maori person was expected to live 8.2 years longer than a Maori person. That gap has now fallen to 7.1 years.

Life expectancy at birth is 77.1 years for Maori females, and 73 years for Maori males.

Non-Maori females were expected to live to 83.9 years, while non-Maori males were expected to live to 80.3 years.

Meanwhile, Pacific females were expected to live 78.7 years and Pacific males were expected to live 74.5 years. It was the first time Pacific life tables were published.