Latest / Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor / What are common men’s health concerns?
Transcript
- 0:01SPEAKER_00: What are common men's health concerns?
- 0:05SPEAKER_00: Men can face a variety of health concerns, particularly as they get older, and they're less likely to seek help for a physical health issue than women.
- 0:14SPEAKER_00: As we age, there are natural changes that happen to all of us, and it's important to try to maintain a healthy diet and physical activity to help us look after ourselves and minimize the risks as much as possible.
- 0:28SPEAKER_00: One of the most common health issues for men in the UK is weight management.
- 0:32SPEAKER_00: 70% of men in the UK are classed as overweight or obese, which increases the risk of numerous health conditions including diabetes, arthritis, cancers, and heart disease, which is itself the leading cause of death for men in the UK.
- 0:50SPEAKER_00: As we age, our prostate gland gets larger, and this can cause issues, such as needing to go to the toilet more at night, having a weak stream when we do go to the bathroom, and even potential pain.
- 1:03SPEAKER_00: One in eight men will actually get prostate cancer, which often has no symptoms early on, so it's important to have this checked regularly from about the age of 50 onwards.
- 1:15SPEAKER_00: Though it's technically quite rare, testicular cancer is still the most common cancer among men in their early 30s.
- 1:23SPEAKER_00: Around 2,400 men in the UK are diagnosed with testicular cancer every year, so it's important to check yourself regularly and speak to your GP if you notice any changes.
- 1:36SPEAKER_00: Hair loss is also quite significant for men.
- 1:39SPEAKER_00: This usually starts around the ages of about 20 or 25.
- 1:44SPEAKER_00: In general, about 30% of white men are affected by around the age of 30, 50% by the age of 50, and 80% by the age of 70.
- 1:55SPEAKER_00: A number of factors play into whether we'll lose our hair or not, but the biggest one is genetics.
- 2:01SPEAKER_00: Our Western culture also has unrealistic attitudes towards what a normal male body should look like and how physically healthy we should be.
- 2:11SPEAKER_00: We've all heard of celebrities being described as having dad bods as a pejorative.
- 2:17SPEAKER_00: All of these issues can affect how we see ourselves and feed into potential mental health problems.