Currently, 1 in 5 men shockingly die before their 65th birthday. On average, women live five years longer than men, even in countries where women are disproportionately affected by social inequalities.
Several factors contribute to this, with one of the biggest being the culture surrounding men’s health.
Men are generally less proactive in seeking help for any health concerns. Women tend to be far more health conscious and are more likely to seek help earlier, meaning that their symptoms can be caught sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately, most men continue neglecting their health and ignoring symptoms until they become severe.
At First Aid for Life, we want to stress that if illnesses are spotted early, the prognoses and treatment is invariably so much easier and more positive.
We urge you to get regular health checks and visit your GP promptly if you have concerns. Men’s health must be more widely promoted.
This article highlights the major contributing factors to the alarming statistics and offers practical advice to help.
Mental health factors
Sadly, in the UK 3 out of 4 suicides are men and approximately 1 in 8 men have a common mental health problem like depression, stress or anxiety.
It has been suggested that colloquial language such as ‘man up’ or ‘grow a pair’ contribute to the perception that it is ‘unmanly’ to show feelings and ask for help in times of crisis. As a result, men often avoid discussing their feelings, with 40% of men admitting they wouldn’t talk about their mental health with friends or family.
Thankfully, over the past decade, attitudes toward men’s mental health have shifted significantly. Campaigns like Movember have worked hard to change societal views and encourage men to seek help earlier.
Physical health
Men die earlier than women. Currently a shocking one in five men will die before they are 65.
Many of these deaths could be prevented through diet and lifestyle changes. Men statistically consume more alcohol, gain more weight, smoke more, and fail to maintain a balanced diet compared to women. These behaviors negatively impact men’s health, reducing their quality of life and life expectancy.
Moreover, men are generally more likely to engage in risky behaviors.
Contributing Factors
Obesity
67% of men are overweight or obese but this figure is just 25% for the general population. This disparity is seriously contributing to the male morbidity and mortality increase. The increased risks associated with obesity range from Type 2 Diabetes, coronary heart disease, some types of cancer and strokes. Serious health conditions such as asthma, gallstones, liver and kidney disease become more common as the body mass index increases.
The NHS estimates that obesity contributes to at least 1 in 13 deaths.
Smoking
22% of men smoke compared to 17% of women. Smoking increases the chances of various cancers and most notoriously it is the cause of 70% of lung cancer. Strokes, heart attacks, heart disease, lung diseases, peripheral vascular disease and cerebrovascular disease are all at increased risk for smokers.
Alcohol Consumption
14% of men drink more than five days a week compared to 9% of women. Alcohol contributes to accidental deaths and leads to liver problems and other related health issues.
The combination of alcohol and drugs has also been linked to an increase in suicide.
Diet
Men generally eat fewer fruits and vegetables than women, making them more susceptible to disease and premature ageing. Men need 2000 to 2800 calories per day, depending on their height, weight and activity level. However, health is not only influenced by calorie intake but also by the quality of the food consumed.
The following is some guidance on men’s healthy eating:
- Choose wholegrain options (brown rice, pasta, bread, grains and oats) wherever possible which can prevent diseases
- Eat 30 – 38 grams of fibre each day
- Choose unsaturated sources of fats
- Eat at least 5 portions of fruit or vegetables each day
The NHS also advise to reduce meat consumption, particularly red meat. Excessive meat eating is a known cause of heart disease and colorectal and prostate cancers in men. It is not necessary to have meat every day. Substitute meaty meals with plant-based proteins to reduce risk of disease and to deliver fibre into your diet. Beans, pulses, lentils, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, tofu and tempeh are all good sources of plant-based protein.
Recommendations for improving men’s health:
The top actions for healthier living:
- Look after mental health – speaking about your mental health does not make you any less of a man! Telling just one other person how you’re feeling can make the world of difference.
- Don’t smoke
- Drink moderately and responsibly
- Be active – physically and mentally
- Watch your weight
It is crucial for men to visit their doctor early and go for regular health checks. Men often hesitate to see a doctor, leading to late diagnoses, which significantly affects their prognosis.
NHS Health Check
The NHS offers a free check-up for all adults in England aged 40 to 74. This check-up screens for early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and dementia, all of which become more likely with age.
A GP or local authority invite all adults over 40 for a free NHS Health Check every 5 years.
The aim of this check-up is to maintain health and spot signs early. Therefore, it is important that everyone attends this appointment even if they are feeling completely healthy.
Cardiac Arrest
One in nine men experience cardiac arrest before the age of 70, a significantly higher rate than women, where just one in thirty suffer the same.
Men face a 11% lifetime risk of sudden cardiac death, however, the risk for women is calculated at just 3%. Many of the risk factors discussed above contribute to this difference.
Currently, less than 10% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive. However, with immediate emergency treatment, survival rates jump by 80%. The best treatment combines CPR with AED shocks administered within the first four minutes.
As the average ambulance response time in urban areas is 11 minutes, the public’s ability to perform CPR and access a defibrillator is crucial.
CPR alone can double the chances of survival. When you use a defibrillator in addition to quality CPR; the odds of someone’s survival can jump from around 6% to 74% – an incredible difference.
Getting checked – a personal story
My brother was extremely proactive when he was concerned about his prostate. He swiftly got checked out, even when his blood tests were only just in the abnormal range. It transpired he did have prostate cancer, but because he had caught it extremely early, his treatment was relatively simple and quick and his prognosis is now excellent.
Conversely, we have a friend who ignored early bowel cancer symptoms until they were causing significant problems. They ended up requiring complex radio and chemotherapy and have a long and complex operation that has resulted in him losing most of his bowel.
Often it is the more ‘embarrassing’ symptoms that men choose to ignore, desperately hoping they will resolve themselves. Doctors and nurses will always act in a professional manner and it is far better to ask about these things early and find out if there is anything that warrants further investigation. Often the perceived embarrassment factor is honestly not as bad as is feared.
What can all of us do for men’s health?
Ultimately, men need to feel comfortable enough to speak up about how they’re feeling, whether this be physically or mentally.
Please spread the word and encourage the men in your life to speak about health and to look after themselves without embarrassment. We need to ensure men are not suffering in silence or ignoring warning signs that could lead to earlier diagnoses and treatment. Men need to be aware of their bodies and feeling comfortable asking for help.
Resources
Health Checks Online
Whenever you can, why not take an online quiz to check your health before your next test? You can find some on the NHS website.
Heart Health
Check how healthy your heart is with this online test: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/check-your-heart-age-tool/
Check out this NHS list of useful apps and other tools that can help improve men’s health and others stay healthy and increase their health expectancy.
Written by Emma Hammett RGN
All our practical and online courses cover CPR and defibrillator use for cardiac arrest and other common injuries in adults, babies and children.
First Aid for Life is an award-winning, fully regulated First Aid Training business. Our trainers are highly experienced medical, health and emergency services professionals who will tailor the training to your needs. Onlinefirstaid.com is the leading provider of interactive regulated and non-regulated first aid e-learning.
First Aid for Life provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. First Aid for Life is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information.
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