Living in a land Down Under? If you’re a dude, you’ve got a nice, long life ahead.
According to a recent study out of the Australian National University, Australian men are now living longer than guys in any other country, with an average life expectancy of 74.1. (That’s compared to 71.57 in the United States.)
“Australia winds up doing really well because, frankly, things have been really good here for a really good time,” study author and ANU lecturer Collin Payne tells The Post. His team examined the population histories of 15 countries with long life spans to understand and contextualize the data.
“In contrast to a lot of continental Europe, there weren’t one or two world wars fought on [Australian] soil,” says Payne, who is American and has a Ph.D. in demography from the University of Pennsylvania. “If there is a war going on, the infant mortality rate tends to be a bit higher. You are not getting proper nutritional intake during childhood, and those things can show up in terms of health later in life.”
Simply put, Australians have been enjoying the perks of relative stability. And that’s only boosted by their wholesome diets, sporty tendencies, laid-back attitudes — and love of beer.
“It’s a very stress-free lifestyle,” says Tim Sykes, the 35-year-old co-owner of Australian eatery Ruby’s Cafe in Nolita. “A majority of Australians live very close to the beach, so there’s an active lifestyle … If I go home and am jet-lagged, I go to the beach at 4 or 5 a.m., and it’s already half-full with people jogging.”
Canberra, Australia-based Payne, who bikes to work every morning, can attest to Australian athleticism.
“I regularly get dusted by people in their 70s who are riding mountain bikes or hiking,” says the researcher, who also nods to the country’s universal health care and generally high standard of living.
‘I regularly get dusted by people in their 70s who are riding mountain bikes or hiking.’
Then there’s the grub. Vegemite aside, Australian cuisine draws heavily from the produce section, not the junk-food aisle — which explains the explosion of Australian-style cafes in the health-conscious Big Apple.
“If you look at our dishes, not a lot has been done. Kale is shredded, tomato is lightly roasted. It’s colorful, and it’s more plants than protein,” says Sydney native Henry Roberts, who co-owns healthy Australian eatery Two Hands in Tribeca.
Down Under, Sykes adds, they start their days right with savory breakfasts — such as avocado toast and breakfast bowls with veggies, eggs and sauces — instead of sugary pastries and empty carbs.
“Breakfast is such a big part of Australian culture … In America, it’s coffee and a bagel,” says Sykes. “Kids have to be taught about nutrition here in the US, but it’s ingrained from an early age in Australia.”
Plus, they drink smarter, Roberts says.
“We usually just stick to beer and wine,” says Roberts. “Booze is pricey. If you buy a round of shots for your friends, you’d be spending $100.”
But if you ask him, the real reasons Aussie guys live longest is their attitudes — specifically, their innate toughness.
If you want to live as long as them, “Stop complaining, don’t be entitled and be in charge of your own destiny,” he says.
Here, some Australian seniors share their secrets to living long, healthy and fun lives.
Retired dairy farmer Ron “Spud” Florence was surprised to learn his countrymen were living so long.
“I had no idea,” he says. “Most of the blokes I know are dead.”
But perhaps that’s because Florence, who lives on a farm in Tongala, Victoria, and has been married to his wife Bev for more than 50 years, isn’t only seeking out his peers.
“You can’t just hang out with old buggers like yourself. Spending time with my grandkids or young people helps keep me young,” says the grandfather of six, who also loves a “beer and a laugh” with his mates. “Family and good friends are the key.”
He’s also a good sport. “Australians are sports mad. Almost everyone participates in some sort of an activity,” says Florence, who was an Australian Rules Football star in his youth and has stayed active with lawn bowling, walking and tending to his garden.
Finally, he believes in his country’s better nature.
“We have good food, clean air, a good climate,” says Florence. “We are lucky here.”
Kevin “Mr. Eggo” Eggelton, 73
Mr. Eggo could lead a master class in living well. His first lesson? ”Loosen up a bit.”
“I’m still out dancing a few nights a week,” the retired Forster, New South Wales, resident tells The Post. Normally, that means “rock ‘n’ roll dancing” — but lately, he says, “I’ve been trying a bit of that salsa. They were doing an eight-week course down at the club.”
The father of two, grandfather of three and former boxer lives near the beach, where he can be spotted sporting a Speedo when he’s not busy lifting weights or working on his house.
“I even had a go on the skipping rope the kids had there at Christmas, and I haven’t lost me rhythm,” says Eggelton, who has never owned a credit card, doesn’t like his cellphone and doesn’t bother with sunscreen “or any of that rubbish.”
Every night, he eats three home-cooked veggies with meat and some suds.
“I treat myself,” he says. “I have to have a few beers every day. Sometimes too many.”
He thinks the key to good golden years is having an open heart.
“You’ve gotta remember to say ‘g’day’ and never be afraid to say ‘hoo, hoo’ when you meet a lovely lady on the dance floor,” he says. “I still like to yahoo and meet the ladies. I met a classy lady Di — Dianne — last year and we’ve been going steady for a while. We’ll see how it goes.
“I don’t want her to cramp my style,” he says. “I’m not changing at age 73.”
Glenn Rothberg, 71
“Our men are serious about not being serious,” says Glenn Rothberg, of Melbourne, Victoria. “Our humor extends our lives.”
The executive change strategist — who plays tennis twice a week and takes daily long walks that he tracks on his Apple watch — says Aussie men aren’t pompous and speak a language that, “like us, is a bit rough.”
Like many of his countrymen, Rothberg is an avid traveler. He and his wife, Jackie, 67, frequently leave their home for far-flung locales, such as walking the French Pyrenees and landing on glaciers in Alaska’s Denali National Park. “Traveling from Australia is a long-distance, physical activity.”
Ultimately, the father of one doesn’t think there’s necessarily a secret to a long life. “I think there’s a difference between a healthy life and a longer life,” he says. “In many cases, it may be better to go for neither. It’s a meaningful life I prefer.”
