Inequalities in Survival of US Olympians

To determine the disparities in length of live and age-specific probabilities of death of US Olympians by sex, performance level, and age at debut at the Olympics.

We apply parametric models of mortality to estimate probabilities of death by age. The best performing model (Gompertz model) is then used to calculate life tables for subpopulations of Olympians. The life table functions are then used to decompose the differences in life expectancies by age.

Olympians live longer than the general population but are a diverse population in terms of survival. Gender gap in survival is substantially smaller in Olympians than in general population. Medalists have a shorter lifespan than nonmedalists. Olympians debuting at extremely young ages (<22) have a survival disadvantage compared with Olympians debuting at older ages. The differences between general population and Olympians are widening in younger cohorts.

US Olympians outlive the general population, but they constitute diverse group in terms of survival by sex, age at debut, and performance level. Studying and monitoring health disparities within the Olympic population is crucial for informing policies and regulations in sports organizations.