Figures show men die earlier than women, with one in five dying before the age of retirement, and men are more likely to be obese than women – two in every three men versus one in two women.
Physical health is about more than ticking a box that says you’ve reached your 10,000 steps a day and eaten your five a day. It’s about regularly checking your fitness.
Most people are aware of the benefits of doing moderate exercise, simple steps such as choosing to walk to the shops instead of driving can have significant benefits, as can making sure you try to eat a varied diet that includes fruit and veg.
The most common cancer among men is prostate cancer. More than 47,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year – and over 11,500 men die of the disease each year.
Prostate cancer can affect anyone and one in eight men will be diagnosed in their lifetime, but if you are over the age of 50, have a father or brother who has had prostate cancer or are of black ethnicity, you should speak to your doctor as you may be at increased risk.
Most men with early prostate cancer don’t have any signs or symptoms, but some possible changes include difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder or needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night.
A lot of people like a drink, but did you know how alcohol affects your body?
Just 1 to 2 units raise your heart rate, while 8 to 9 units are enough to overload your liver – meaning you’ll likely wake up with a hangover as your body can’t filter the alcohol out quickly enough.
The long-term risks of drinking too much alcohol range from liver disease, bowel cancer and dementia, through to high blood pressure, stroke or sexual problems such as impotency.
One of the biggest killers worldwide of men and women is coronary heart disease, although men are more likely to be affected by the condition.
Heart attacks are caused by deposits of cholesterol building up and starving the organ f oxygenated blood. Although many people survive due to medical advancements, recovery can take a long time.
Quitting smoking, losing weight, regular exercise, a healthy diet and moderate alcohol consumption are the five main steps to reducing your risk of a heart attack.
There are also a number of charities and websites that have a range of support you can use as well as people you can speak to:
