Men, Our Health Generally Stinketh

Gentleman, I have a question for you: How’s your health? Seriously, are you feeling okay? How’s your weight? Have you had your prostate checked? What, you don’t like these questions?

If health questions make you uncomfortable, than perhaps you should read on, because guys, we’re in bad shape, according to The New York Times. I’m not referring to just a lack of exercise: we’re sick and dying at a faster rate than women.

Most of us have heard this statistic: women on average live 75.2 years and men live only 69.8. But it’s not just that we’re dying younger, we also have worse health overall, breast cancer notwithstanding.

Men have higher levels of heart disease, diabetes and cancer than women. Even though more baby boys are conceived, women outnumber men by their mid-30s, reports the Times. And among 100-year-olds, women outnumber men 8 to 1.

Some researchers think this disparity in health should be studied more intensely. “We’ve got men dying at higher rates of just about every disease, and we don’t know why,” Dr. Demetrius J. Porche, editor of the new quarterly American Journal of Men’s Health, tells the Times. Men’s Health Network is calling for a federal office that mirrors the female version.

“It’s not that we ‘could be’ the weaker sex — we are the weaker sex,” Dr. Robert Tan, who is on the advisory board of the Men’s Health Network, tells the Times. “Even when men and women have the same disease, we often find that men are more likely to die. Hip fractures stand out, for instance: women seem more likely to recover, while men are more likely to die afterward.”

That doesn’t sit well with at least one women’s rights group, many of which have fought hard to get women’s health issues studied.

“Saying we need an office of men’s health ignores the fact that men’s health always was the main focus of medical research,” Cynthia Pearson, executive director of the National Women’s Health Network, tells the Times. “During the first half-century of our nation’s investment in medical research, the majority of resources went to studying men and the conditions that affected men disproportionately. Is their health perfect? No. But they don’t need a movement.”

Um, okay. But will another government panel really help anyway? Beats me.

Instead, maybe we should just take matters into own hands by cutting back on drinking, overeating and smoking, which boost our levels of cancer and heart disease.

If we started exercising again, we’d see larger gains in health. It’s a lot more fun – and safer – than Lipitor anyway.

Maybe we should appeal to men’s competitive spirit: “Live longer than women!” could be our slogan.

Sure, prostate cancer research will still be $300 million behind breast cancer research, but 13,000 fewer men die from their respective disease. Men are more likely to develop prostate cancer, but on that one we can just tough it out.

Comments

[Autumn]

My personal thought on it is men are too stubborn. They're convince inside that they'll be young forever and heal easily. And even if they do heal on their own they don't realize it may weaken them for future injuries. I see male athletes who should know better constantly playing on injuries and making them worse. I want to tell them they're better off if they take a couple weeks off then playing on a perpetual injury that slows them down - making them more a team liability.

I wonder if its the "I need to be healthy to take care of everyone else" thought that women have. I know that to be able to take care of others, do my work as its best, and be a top shape (for me at least) I have to do the proper maintence and doctor visits every 3000 miles.

Do men fear being seen as weak? Is going to the doctor or taking a couple weeks off from sports and exercise a sign of that weakness? Can we stop father's from telling their sons to "walk it off"?

[brettdl]

Those are good points too. Weekend warriors are much more likely to get injured than those who keep exercising more regularly.

[Brian (scientist)]

My grad school professor was fond of saying, "Most men die with prostate cancer, not from it."

Frankly I'm not all that interested in living past about 80. I'm kind of hoping the ticker goes slightly before the brain starts to loose it.

[Grace]

And remember that women usually go into the doc at least once a year for their annual well-woman exam. You know...checking those internal bits & pieces. Maybe there should a well-man exam each year?

[Mark]

For me personally, I just don't like going to the doctor (despite the fact my dad IS one). Unless there's something seriously wrong, I don't go. Probably a cross between machismo and wimpiness, as I like to think "Eh, I'll just lay around in bed till I feel better" and also "Uh oh, what if he wants to do something that hurts?"

And as a sidenote, I find that quote from the women's health lady interesting/depressing. How come anytime anyone talks about something that might benefit men, there's some militant women's group saying "no no, women are the only ones that deserve extra help, regardless of whatever statistics or common sense may say otherwise...too bad!"

[brettdl]

Brian: That's true about prostate cancer. As to living to 80, I would be happy to live well past it as long as can keep myself in good overall health.

Grace: Yes, there probably should be. I try to go once a year.

Mark: I'm not a big fan of pain, but I figure it beats more later on.

As to the men don't deserve the extra help, I agree. Not very friendly, huh?

[Team Fortress 2]

And remember that women usually go into the doc at least once a year for their annual well-woman exam