British men are closing the life expectancy gap on women by living healthier lifestyles, a study by Imperial College London and the World Health Organisation has found.

Researchers found that men born in 2030 are expected to live until they are 82.5 years old, and women until 85.3 – a gap of 2.8 years.

This is down from a gap of four years for Britons born in 2010 – men born at the start of the decade are expected to live until 78.3 and women until 82.3.

The change is thought to be a result of the growing similarity in men’s and women’s lifestyles, with men no longer fulfilling the stereotype of heavy drinking and smoking.

“I don’t believe we’re anywhere near the upper limit of life expectancy – if there even is one”Professor Ezzati