Hail to all the men in our lives who deserve our focus and attention this month of June!
It is very much observable that men pay lesser attention to healthcare than women. That is why Men’s Health Month exists – to increase awareness and encourage men to seek necessary treatment and medical advice.
An initiative formed by Congress in the early ’90s to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Today it puts a timely reminder on pertinent male health issues and aims to inspire young boys to be more mindful and attentive towards their overall health and well-being.
The statistics are confronting. In Australia, the life expectancy of a male is approximately 4.4 years less than a female born in the same year. Usually due to accidents, cancer and heart disease and a significantly higher suicide rate, four times that of women (that’s five men a day, on average).
The above figures are taken from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Global reason as to why men need to focus on their health this month:
- Only 30% of a man’s overall health is determined by his genetics – 70% is controllable through lifestyle
- Men live 4.4 years less than women and the last 11 years will be in poorer health – mostly preventable by making small lifestyle changes
- The top 3 reasons for reduced lifespan in Men are cardiovascular disease, suicide and car accidents
- Globally, alcohol kills almost 6 times more men than women
- Active men who climb 50 stairs a day or walk 5 city blocks a day may lower their risk of a heart attack by 5%
- Men who sleep 7-8 hours a night have about 60% less risk of a fatal heart attack than those who sleep 5 hours or less
- Inactive men are more likely to suffer from depression than those who are active
