Did you know that some health conditions are more prone to males? Chances are that your current lifestyle is putting you at more risk for those conditions without you knowing.
The United Nations currently puts the average life expectancy for males at 61 years to 72 years. According to the numbers, men are more prone to get all diseases leading to death except for Alzheimer’s due to biological reasons.
Furthermore, societal expectations drive men to avoid showing weaknesses. However, this means many avoid showing and reporting their aches and pains, leading to serious health concerns.
In this piece, I will go through the top male health conditions and factors that can increase your chances of getting these conditions.
Cardiovascular Disease
This condition is regarded as the leading male health threat. It is also called atherosclerosis, which means “hardening of the arteries.”
According to Darwin Labarthe, director of the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the Centre for disease control, “Men’s average age for death from cardiovascular disease is under 65, women catch up about six years later.”
According to statistics, one in four men has a heart condition that will lead to death.
“For men, heart disease begins to manifest itself about 10 years earlier than women,” states Gregory Burke, the chairman of the department of public health sciences at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
The leading causes of cardiovascular disease include:
- Increasing age
- Smoking
- Cholesterol
- Physical inactivity.
Good and healthy lifestyles can reduce your risk of heart diseases.
Stroke
Stroke is the third deadliest male health condition after heart diseases and cancers. Factors that increase the chances of getting a stroke include:
- Hypertension
- Race (African-Americans are at greater risk)
- Gender
- Diabetics
Although it occurs mostly at old age, you can avoid the health condition with a good diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Suicide and Depression
Men are four times more likely to commit suicide than women. Moreover, most times, it is a result of undiagnosed and untreated depression.
William Pollack, Ph.D., an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, confirmed that men are more suicidal. Pollack states this is largely due to the fact that men generally bottle up their emotions and depressions.
Apart from sadness, depression can be visible through the following behavior in men:
- Anger
- Aggression
- Work “burnout”
- Risk-taking behavior
- Alcohol and substance abuse.
You can prevent this male health condition by identifying the signs of depression and seeking professional help. Do not keep putting off and hiding your depression. Talk to someone about how you are feeling or go and see a therapist if necessary.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is considered the deadliest type of cancer for both men and women. The mortality rate is higher than that of prostate cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer combined.
Although the rate of new lung cancer cases and deaths has been falling since the 1980s and 1990s, there are still new cases of lung cancer every year.
Apart from tobacco products that are responsible for 90% of lung cancer, other factors that can increase the chances of lung cancer include:
- Exposure to secondhand smoke
- Exposure to asbestos or radon
- Personal history
- Air pollution
The National Institute of Ageing advises against smoking as a means of reducing cancer risk as well as lung damages.
If you are thinking of quitting smoking, and you need help, you can get resources at the American Cancer Society or National Cancer Institute.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men, and it is the second deadliest cancer found in men.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends annual tests for every man from the age of 50 and above for early detection and treatment. You are at a higher risk if you have a family history of prostate cancer, meaning you should begin testing earlier.
According to the ACS, other factors that can cause cancer include age, nationality (North American and Northwestern Europe), and a high-fat diet.
Moreover, 30% of prostate cancers occur in men under the age of 65. “The younger a man is, the more aggressive the tumor is,” says Stephen F. Sener, MD and the president of ACS.
Your body, like every machine, is a complex system that requires fuel (food, air, and water) for development and self-repair. It is important to know that your body needs periodic maintenance to last long and function well.
While a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of getting these health conditions, keep in mind that your body is still prone to these male health conditions. Although the health conditions are unavoidable, regular checkups will ensure the early detection of these male health conditions. These measures will increase the likelihood of managing and controlling them.
