The gap in life expectancy between Australian men and women has reached the lowest point in more than 50 years, according to actuarial research on mortality.

The Australian Government Actuary’s Australian Life Tables for 2005-07 reveal men can now expect to live for 79 years compared to 83.7 years for women.

The gap of less than five years is the smallest differential since the 1940s. In the early 1980s, the gap reached more than seven years.

The research found the average improvement in mortality since the previous study in 2004 was nearly 50% higher for males than for females at the childhood and young adult stages.

The figures do not allow for future improvement in mortality rates.