Chronic Disease and Men’s Health

From the 14^th-20^th June 2021, Longevity Exercise Physiology Edgecliff, Randwick, Marrickville, Pymble, Drummoyne, Bella Vista and Balmain is celebrating Men’s Health Week!

Men’s Health Week is an international campaign aimed at increasing awareness of the many preventable health problems facing men. It aims to encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

Did you know on average, men live 4.4 years less than females? The top 3 reasons for reduced life expectancy in men is cardiovascular disease, suicide and motor vehicle accidents ^(1).

There are many modifiable factors that reduce men’s’ risk of developing illnesses. These include for example:

• Appropriate alcohol consumption
• Adequate sleep (7-8 hours)
• Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines
• Balanced diet (e.g. 5 serves vegetable and 2 serves of fruit)
• Regular health check-ups with a GP
• Weight management (particularly waist circumference)
• Stopping smoking
• Speaking with friends and family about mental health

The role of exercise in improving men’s health

Exercise plays a vital role in keeping men healthy, happy and living longer! It improves mood, manages stress and anxiety and reduces the risk of developing mental illness. It also manages blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, improves bone density and increases muscle mass.

Males should aim to achieve:

• ≥150 minutes of moderate intensity OR 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week (e.g., walking, running, cycling, swimming)
• ≥2 sessions of resistance training that each target all major muscle groups
• Older adults should perform exercise aimed at improving balance and preventing falls on ≥ 3 days of the week

We understand there can be many barriers to exercise, such as work commitments, children, motivation, and enjoyment. An Accredited Exercise Physiologist can help you overcome these barriers by providing structure and strategies to fit exercise into your week. We are trained to improve health, fitness, well-being, performance and assist in the prevention and management of chronic conditions.

Contact Longevity Personal Training and Exercise Physiology Edgecliff, Pymble, Marrickville, Randwick, Drummoyne, Balmain, Bella Vista on 1300 964 002 to enquire today.

References

(1)

https://www.menshealthweek.org.au/events/resources/male-health-infographics

Written by Courtney Maher