Men’s health is in crisis. Men are dying on average 4.5 years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons.
A growing number of men – around 10.8M globally – are facing life with a prostate cancer diagnosis. Globally, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men. Across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 69% of all suicides.
Men, it’s time to start looking after your health!
Only 17% of men are both sufficiently active and meeting the muscle-strengthening guidelines. However, exercise plays a vital role in keeping Australian blokes healthier, happier and alive for longer.
We know that men experience a range of health conditions and symptoms differently to women, whether it be severe depression and anxiety, prostate and testicular cancer, or increased risk of a heart attack or diabetes. The other side of the coin is that we know that men can struggle to ask for help, especially when it comes to their health.
WHY IS EXERCISE IMPORTANT FOR MEN?
There is a wide range of benefits for being active and including exercise or physical activity into daily routines. Exercise plays a vital role in keeping Australian blokes healthier, happier and alive for longer.
Some of the health benefits for men who exercise include:
- Lower risk of diabetes
- Lower cholesterol
- Reduced depression and anxiety
- Lower risk of high blood pressure
- Healthier blood vessels
- Weight loss
- Improved testosterone levels as you age
- Lower risk of cancers such as colon or prostate cancer
How much exercise should men be doing?
Adults (aged 18–64) should be active most days, preferably every day. Each week, adults should do either:
It’s important to also include muscle-strengthening activities as part of your daily physical activity on at least two days each week.
Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you do no physical activity right now, start by doing some, then slowly build up to the recommended amount
