Men’s health centre

6 top health threats to men

More boys than girls are born every year in the UK. But any lead in health that men start with vanishes with the first dirty nappy.

From infancy to old age, women are simply healthier than men. A US study found that out of the 15 leading causes of death, men lead women in all of them except Alzheimer's disease, which many men don't live long enough to develop. Although the gender gap is closing, on average, men still die just over four years earlier than women. Government statistics show that in the UK, a newborn baby boy can expect to live for 77.2 years, whereas a newborn baby girl can expect to live for 81.5 years.

While the reasons are partly biological, men’s approach to their health plays a role too, experts say. "Men put their health last", says Demetrius Porche, editor of the American Journal of Men's Health. "Most men's thinking is, if they can live up to their roles in society, then they're healthy."

Men go the doctor less than women and are more likely to have a serious condition when they do go, research shows. "As long as they're working and feeling productive, most men aren't considering the risks to their health", says Porche.

But even if you're feeling healthy, a little planning can help you stay that way. The top threats to men's health aren't secrets: They're known, common and often preventable. We consulted the experts to bring you this list of the top health threats to men and how to avoid them.

Cardiovascular disease: The leading men’s health threat

Atherosclerosis, meaning ‘narrowing of the arteries’, could easily be from the Latin word for ‘a man's worst enemy’.

Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK, according to NHS guidelines, with stroke the third biggest killer. These figures are mirrored globally, with cardiovascular disease posing a huge global public health problem. Heart disease and stroke are the first and second leading causes of death worldwide, in both men and women.

In cardiovascular disease, cholesterol plaques gradually block the arteries in the heart and brain. If a plaque becomes unstable, a blood clot forms, blocking the artery and causing a heart attack or stroke.

One in four men and one in six women will die from coronary heart disease, according to the NHS. Experts say that for unclear reasons, men's arteries develop atherosclerosis earlier than women's. "Men's average age for death from cardiovascular disease is under 65; women catch up about six years later.

Even in adolescence, girls' arteries look healthier than boys'. Experts believe women's naturally higher levels of good cholesterol (HDL) are partly responsible. Men have to work harder to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. So here are some tips on how to stay healthy:

• Get your cholesterol checked, as often as your GP advises.
• Control your blood pressure and cholesterol.
• If you smoke, stop.
• Increase your physical activity level to 30 minutes per day, most days of the week.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables and less saturated and trans fats.