Women 'take 46 per cent more sick days than men'

As any woman will tell you, men are experts in representing the sniffles as full-on flu.

Can't cope: But the study from Helsinki says illness is much more characteristically female than thought

However, when it comes to taking days off work, it seems that the female of the species is sicklier than the male.

A study of 7,000 council workers revealed that women took 46 per cent more short-term sick leave than their male counterparts.

The researchers said the findings were particularly significant because days taken off to care for sick children - which are thought to account for many of women's absences from work - were discounted from the figures.

The analysis by the University of Helsinki in Finland showed that women were 46 per cent more likely to be off work for between one to three days, which does not require a sick note.

They were also a third more likely to take slightly longer periods of sick leave, which required a medical certificate.

Researchers said that the reasons for the difference could include women finding their work more physically demanding.

Alternatively, they might simply be more organised about seeing a doctor and getting signed off work when ill.

The average UK worker takes six sick days a year - down from a peak of 9.1 in 1991.