Recent research has found that 45 per cent of men would prefer to wait until they are ill before they take action to change their lifestyle and behaviour. And men in midlife are most at risk. The research, which was carried out for McNeil Ltd, also revealed that wives and partners could be the key to better health and longer life for men.

The inequality in life expectancy between the sexes is growing wider and men are falling behind at a faster pace than ever. In 1940 women outlived men by 4.4 years; today, however, the average figure is nearly seven.

The biggest cause of premature death in men is heart disease, despite it being one of the most easily treated and, therefore, preventable causes of death. In fact, it will, according to British Heart Foundation statistics, account for one in four male deaths each year in the UK.

“Too many men are dying from this condition by failing to tackle their risks,” says Dr Mike Ingram, a GP and men’s health specialist. “The risk of heart disease increases with age – while men might covet a sports car or motorbike during their ‘menoporsche’, if they want to enjoy a long and active life they need to focus more on reducing their risk factors for heart disease such as smoking, blood pressure and high cholesterol.”

The research, which was conducted by interviewing 183 men in the 45–64 age group, highlights men’s risk-taking attitudes as they enter midlife. Particularly interesting is the important role that men identify for their wives or partners in helping them to change engrained, and often life-threatening, behaviour and attitudes. Other conclusions from the research: 

• Midlife does not seem to have affected men’s ambition: 60 per cent of men over 45 felt that they still had much to achieve, while nearly one-third clearly stated they felt excited about entering a new stage of their lives. Life is still good, with 43 per cent of the men surveyed claiming they had had sex in the last seven days.
• Men considered that the biggest priority for their health over the next 20 years was keeping mentally capable, staying out of hospital and being there for their kids.
• 45 per cent of men would only be prompted into improving their health and changing unhealthy behaviour by becoming ill first. The idea of preventing potential problems through diet and behaviour was anathema.
• One-third of men over 45 never exercise. Worryingly, 13 per cent are perfectly happy with the fact they are unfit and overweight – and as a consequence, at increased risk of heart attack.
• One-quarter of men over 45 drink more than the weekly safe allowance of 21 units; and over half were on some sort of medication – indicating a clear need for men to re-evaluate their health and lifestyle choices.

10 ways to save his life

1. Know the warning signs and ensure that he makes a GP appointment if he has any of these symptoms: changes in bowel or bladder habits; recurrent chest pain; unexplained weight loss or gain; extreme fatigue
2. Does he know his blood pressure? High blood pressure damages the blood vessels, heart and kidneys.
3. Encourage him to check himself out with routine testicular examinations.
4. Encourage him to eat a healthy, low-fat diet with at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
5. Stop smoking. Create a new routine and rewards for milestones. The NHS Quitline recommends using nicotine replacement therapy at the same time as cutting down on cigarettes, as this improves success.
6. Exercise regularly. Give him encouragement, time and space to take exercise, or make it part of the family regime – little and often to start with.
7. Reduce alcohol intake. Do you know how much alcohol he drinks at home (and at work) in the week? Show him the cans and bottles from a single week’s recycling if he is getting through more than 10 pints a week.
8. Be realistic about weight. Be honest with your husband or partner about whether he needs to lose weight and how much he needs to lose. The best way to do this is to follow a healthy low-fat diet with regular, gentle exercise.
9. Reduce his cholesterol. Get him to have his cholesterol levels checked and take the appropriate steps to reduce it if necessary. If he is over 45, it might be advisable to take a cholesterol-reducing statin (a product such as Zocor Heart Pro® is available at pharmacies without prescription).
10. Be patient. The goal of taking a more active role in men’s health care is to get your husband to take better care of himself, and to get the next generation of men to start building good habits. A small change can make a big difference.

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