Being a man is hazardous to a guy's health. Consider the proof: Men are more likely than women to be overweight or obese; more likely to have diabetes or heart disease; and more likely to smoke, binge drink, or engage in other unhealthful behaviors. They're also less likely to visit a doctor and less likely to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Men live an average of 75.1 years in America, according to the latest data. Women, by comparison, enjoy a life expectancy of 80.2 years. With all that going against them, men need any help they can get to stay healthy. That makes Father's Day a good time to nudge the men you care about to take better care of themselves.
"Men die younger than women do, and most of the things that kill us are preventable," says Salvatore Giorgianni, science adviser for Men's Health Network, a nonprofit organization that advocates for preventive health strategies and education for men. "In almost every category of disease, men die at a higher rate than women."
Why is this the case? No one is totally sure, experts say, but there are some theories. "Men don't seek medical attention as much as women," says M. Hassan Murad, an internist who specializes in preventive medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Women tend to see the doctor two or three times more than men."
Experts say that those who love the men in their lives should step up to encourage guys to get their acts together. "Their families, particularly their children, have to instill in them a sense of urgency about their health," Giorgianni says. A key issue, he says, is "getting the guys that they love to feel comfortable with engaging in the healthcare system." It's not unusual for men to visit the doctor solely because a loved one urged them to. "I'm here because my wife told me to come" is a statement that Murad says he hears frequently.
It may be helpful to select a specific time of year—if not Father's Day, then perhaps a birthday, holiday, or anniversary—to remind your guy to see a doctor at least once annually. "If [men] see their doctor once a year and [get] basic screenings, they can assure themselves that they can intervene at the right time and reduce the risk of dying" from preventable medical problems, Murad says. It also may help to offer to accompany your guy to the doctor's office because it "provides support and shows them that you're interested," Murad says.
Routine annual doctor's visits are important because they can identify health problems that would otherwise go undetected. For example, nearly a third of men who have diabetes don't know they have it, and men are 30 percent more likely than women to die from diabetes. A routine annual doctor's visit will likely include a physical examination, a blood pressure check, and a blood test that will, among other things, check cholesterol levels and blood sugar readings.
[To consider a different perspective on annual physicals, read Do You Actually Need a Physical Exam?]
Depending on the man's age and risk factors, additional testing may be suggested to check for signs of cancer, heart disease, or other problems. A colonoscopy may be recommended, for instance, in an effort to cut the risk of getting colon cancer, which is one of the most preventable cancers. (Here are 5 things you should know about colon screening.) A man's doctor may also suggest PSA testing to help detect prostate cancer, but there is some controversy over whether this test should be used routinely. (Here are 11 things to know about prostate cancer treatment.)
Aside from going to the doctor, men should make the effort, day in and day out, to maintain a healthy diet and an exercise routine in order to ward off health problems later. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommended last year that adults get 2.5 hours per week of moderate exercise. U.S. News's 10-week workout routine can help you ease into an exercise plan.
mark of IL @ Jun 18, 2009 18:08:24 PM