When it comes to men’s and women’s health, the fact is that women outlive men, and that gap is widening. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), on average, women outlive men by more than five years. There are many different factors that contribute to early death in men. Health is one among them. Here are the top 10 health issues that every man needs to know and take care of.
1. Depression And Suicide
Did you know that men are more prone to committing suicide? The suicide rate for men is 3.5 times higher than it is for women, with males accounting for seven out of ten suicides in 2015. Depression increases the risk of suicide, which is why it’s important for men to be more vocal about their emotional state.
2. Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in America and is responsible for one in every four male deaths. According to the CDC between 70 percent and 89 percent of sudden cardiac events occur in men.
3. Skin Cancer
This cancer joins heart disease as the top two leading causes of death for men of all races. The good news is that skin cancer is largely preventable with proper skin care and regular checkups. One in 28 white men and one in 44 white women is diagnosed with melanoma.
4. Stroke
Stroke comes at number five as the leading cause of death for American men. Men need to be more careful about their diet and lifestyle because they have strokes at younger ages when compared to women.
5. Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2015, 30.3 million Americans had diabetes and of these, 7.2 million were undiagnosed. Untreated diabetes in men can lead to erectile dysfunction and other urological problems, nerve damage (neuropathy), dehydration and damage to the eyes, kidneys and hearing. Overweight men are more at risk for diabetes than women. This is because men typically store fat differently than women, which increases their risk.
6. Kidney Disease
Men also need to be careful about the health of their kidneys. Some of the factors that increase the risk of chronic kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and smoking. Kidney disease also leads to other health complication like anemia, cardiovascular disease, decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction, decreased immune response and kidney damage.
7. High Blood Pressure
With hectic lifestyles and work-related stress, high blood pressure has become extremely common. Fortunately, it is can be prevented, delayed and treated. However, if ignored, it can lead to heart and kidney failure, vision problems and even blindness. Lack of physical activity and being overweight contributes to increasing the risk of hypertension. So don’t give up on that gym membership so easily.
8. High Cholesterol
While genetics has a part to play in deciding your cholesterol levels, it can also be influenced by things like diet, activity and body weight. The risk increases with age and, left untreated, can lead to a greater risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Your cholesterol levels can be measured by a simple blood test, so make it a point get one at regular intervals.
9. Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in men not just in the United States by across the world. For men, the lifetime risk of developing it (for both smokers and nonsmokers) is 1 in 13.
10. Prostate Cancer
After lung cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men and the second leading type of cancer death in men. Prostate cancer can be treated if found in its early stages but in most cases, it shows no symptoms until it has spread to other parts of the body. The risk usually increases with age.
