June is men’s health awareness month so our Nutritional Therapist, Fiona Hayers explains what’s being discuss in the latest headlines.
Did you know that:
- Men in the UK have a lower life expectancy than women, with the average life expectancy for men being 79.2 years, compared to 82.9 years for women.
- Men are more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions such as heart disease, stroke and cancer than women.
- The main cause of death for males between the ages of 5 & 49 is suicide.
Why are these statistics so shocking for men? Let’s look into some of the possible reasons.
Even though more women than men suffer from depression, women are more likely to talk about their issues and seek help. Men tend to bottle up their problems and negative feelings, until they can no longer cope. Men are also more likely to experience work-related stress, increasing their risk of depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders.
Traditional masculinity values, such as a reluctance to seek help or vulnerability, can have a big negative impact on health outcomes by deterring them from accessing medical services or seeking support when needed. This is particularly relevant when dealing with some male-specific conditions, such as, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and erectile dysfunction. These can still be coupled with the cultural stigma associated with discussing reproductive health issues which can result in a lack of awareness and delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Recently prostate cancer has overtaken breast cancer to become the third-largest cancer killer in the UK (behind lung and bowel cancer). One man now dies every forty-five minutes from prostate cancer yet the treatment is effective and prognosis is good if it is detected at an early stage. Let’s encourage our young boys to discuss their health and bodies so they don’t grow up with the same stigmas surrounding their health.
Lifestyle factors can also contribute to these statistics. Men are more likely and are often encouraged to engage in risky behaviours such as smoking, dangerous or aggressive physical activites, drug use and excessive drinking which can lead to long-term health problems including liver disease, cancer and mental health issues. Men are also more likely to work in hazardous occupations that expose them to occupational hazards such as physical and chemical exposure, noise and vibrations which could result in respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal problems, among others.
Diet is also an important factor in the development of conditions such as heart disease and colon cancer. A study undertaken in 2012 at the University of Huddersfield asked participants to judge diets for their perceived ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ properties. The diet comprising pasta salad and fruit, followed by rice & vegetables in the evening was judged as ‘significantly more feminine’ than the one of burger & chips followed by pizza & beer. This study indicates that men may not be making healthy dietary choices because they are worried about being perceived as effeminate. This is thought to be more prevalent among older men as there are more healthy eating role models amongst younger men nowadays with the use of images on social media.
The diet industry almost exclusively focuses on women and could explain why women are more likely to avoid high-fat foods, eat more fibre and limit their intake of salt. They also eat less red meat and take fewer risks in terms of consuming undercooked food.
Overall, these societal, cultural and stereotypical expectations of what it means to be a ‘man’ could be having a significant impact on men’s health behaviour and outcomes. They are contributing to delayed treatment, reduced quality of life and reduced longevity. We really need to get away from these beliefs and expectations if men’s health is to improve.
So, if you are keen to change these headlines read the articles below and every article on healthful diets as they apply to both men and women equally.
These links will take you to articles specifically aimed at men but much of the information will also relate to women’s health:
