Men on a mission to stay fit and healthy
Being a man is no excuse for ignoring your health. But as we age, the risks change. So how can we tell what to look out for and when?
SA News
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Having a Y chromosome isn’t an excuse to make unhealthy lifestyle choices. The Sunday Mailand the University of Adelaide are encouraging men to “man up” about men’s health this week, starting today, and be aware of the risk groups and common warning signs for early signs of chronic illness.
Dr James Richards, of The Men’s Health Centre, in Adelaide, says there are certain things men should be mindful of at any age such as changes in bowel habits, unintentional loss of weight and appetite — symptoms that may need a bowel screening.
Watching out for skin cancer is another key health check and not just for those who work outdoors, Dr Richards says.
“They need to do annual full-body skin checks, as melanomas are not dependent on sun exposure,” Dr Richards recommends.
A focus on mental health checks at any age is a constant concern for the Freemasons Foundation Centre for Mental Health.
Here is a rundown of the major health risks for men at key stages of life and what they can do to avoid health problems.
LATE TEENS: 16-20 YEARS
THE RISKS: The late-adolescence age group is one of the hardest to target for men’s health issues, due to their lack of knowledge and concern about chronic illness.
Experts say the main concerns for this age group are mental health problems and sexually transmitted diseases. If left untreated, STDs can lead to long-term complications, including blindness, bone deformities, brain damage, cancer, heart disease, infertility, birth defects, mental retardation and even death.
Practising safe sex is vital to avoid these possible long-term issues, the Men’s Health Week website says.
Binge drinking is a concern, too, and drinking more than 10 drinks a week doubles your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, it says.
The University of Adelaide’s Freemasons Centre for Men’s Health recommends limiting the number of drinks in one sitting. If drinking in large quantities, it recommends substituting full-strength drinks for low-alcohol alternatives and non-alcoholic drinks in between.
Staying mentally sound is important in this phase of life, with peer-group pressures, stress about getting a job, and changes in hormones all leading to mental health problems, Margaret McGee, executive officer for The Freemasons Centre for Men’s Health, says.
“Health isn’t necessarily important to them,” and body image struggles also come into the mix in this age group, she says.
Seventy per cent of men’s health is controllable through lifestyle, so making good social choices such as abstaining from drugs, smoking and alcohol through this stage of development is recommended.
Izach Zinndorf, 16, finds every opportunity possible to maintain his physical health.
Izach plays club football for Kennilworth, and school football through Cabra Dominican College. He has a large network of friends across Adelaide as well as a close-knit family to keep his mental health in check.
WHAT TO GET CHECKED: Blood pressure, height, weight, vision, dentals, STDs, HIV, testicular cancer screening, mental health check and a cholesterol test every five years.
REPRODUCTIVE AGE PRIME: 20-35 YEARS
THE RISKS: This age group often isn’t aware of the importance of taking care of health to prevent long-term effects in later life, says Ms McGee.
“Responsibilities of fatherhood start well before conception. Healthy dads equal healthy sperm, which equals healthy kids,” she says.
Safety on the roads is something to keep in mind for this group, too, with the Australian Men’s Health Forum reporting three in four road fatalities being men in this age group.
Risk of coronary heart disease increases from ages 20 to 35, and four times more men under 65 die drom heart disease than women in the same age group.
A US study linked high blood pressure and smoking to risks of developing heart disease, a warning sign for men of this age to abstain from smoking and get an annual doctor check.
In 2017, 75 per cent of people in Australia who took their own lives were men, showing the need for attention to mental health for this age group struggling with their work-life balance. “Stress management is a big one for this group … trying to handle a career and trying to build a family,” Ms McGee says.
Port Adelaide Football Club player Riley Bonner, 22, says he has valued the importance of sport from a young age.
Mental health concerns are more prevalent in the game in recent times, but the team looks after each other when the boys aren’t feeling their best, he says.
“Mental health in our game is pretty big at the moment with a few players having to leave the game due to concussion and not recovering to the fullest,” Bonner says.
“The research is growing and the competition now is looking after blokes a bit more in regards to protecting the head a bit more in game.
“I think getting your check ups done is so important, and speak up when there might be something wrong mentally,” he said.
WHAT TO GET CHECKED: Blood tests for diabetes, thyroid disease, liver problems, anaemia, coronary heart disease mental health.
MIDDE AGED: 40-60 YEARS
THE RISKS: This age group should focus on seeing the warning signs for problems such as heart disease, sleep apnoea, and prostate cancer which relate to chronic illness in later life.
Most of these conditions are treatable if detected early, Ms McGee says.
“A wee problem is a big problem — going to the toilet more than twice a night to urinate may be a marker of significant underlying diseases not related to your prostate,” she says.
Levels of lower-urinary tract issues and nocturia (frequent urination at night) can be prevalent for this age group.
Keeping cholesterol levels low, and staying physically active is important, too.
The Healthy Male organisation — headed by key medical and community leaders from across Australia — says a man’s waist circumference should be 94cm or less to ensure good health.
“Waist circumference is the biggest predictor of cardiometabolic problems,” Ms McGee says.
“Trade your keg for a six pack — abdominal obesity puts you at risk of serious disease and common men’s health problems.”
Issues with erectile dysfunction affect more than 30 per cent of males in Australia over the age of 50, so it is recommended men in this age group monitor their sexual health.
Marc Zinnforf, 52, is a physical education teacher at Black Forest Primary School, and is very much involved in aspects of physical health for all age groups.
But it is the mental health of young men Mr Zinndorf says needs to be spoken about more.
“It’s always important to talk to people, keep good connections and friends,” he says.
Being the School Sport SA district coach helps Mr Zinnforf stay across both the physical and mental health of the young boys.
“I make sure the boys are feeling really good about themselves,” he said.
WHAT TO GET CHECKED: Cardiovascular problems, prostate screen, type 2 diabetes, vision and hearing, mental health, lipid disorders, colon cancer.
OLDER MEN
THE RISKS: As men grow older, caution needs to be taken as bone and skin becomes easier to damage.
Men are twice as likely to die within 12 months from a hip fracture than women, and preventative measures such as hip protectors can be used to help, Ms McGee said.
A fragility test from Royal Adelaide Hospital reveals 29 per cent of men die from hip fractures in comparison to 14 per cent of women.
More research is being investigated by Dr Phillip Tully, a psychologist and early-career fellow at the Unviersity of Adelaide, linking depression and cardiac health.
Around 1.34 million Australian boys and men are currently living with urinary or faecal incontinence and struggle daily with self-confidence. However, older men suffer the most from this and, as a result, don’t have the confidence to leave the house at times, North Adelaide’s Local Hospital Network continence nurse Julie Tucker says.
Visit a GP for advice if you are affected by lower-urinary and faecal issues, as there are always other options available, she says.
Mental health struggles are present in all age groups, and the Australian Men’s Health Forum reports, in its 2019 review, that more than two million men experience economic insecurity.
Federal Government advice service Health Direct says financial stress and social isolation are two of the key causes for mental health problems in seniors.
Bob Stoddard is 75 and tries to stay as physically and actively stimulated as possible in his day-to-day activities.
“I go to Active Adults at Goodlife gym three times a week and I swim,” Mr Stoddard says.
Mental stimulation and staying in touch with his local Grange community is also important for Mr Stoddard as well as keeping up with the pace of his 10 grandchildren.
“I’m in a human resources ethics committee … I’m a justice of the peace and do (JP) sessions at libraries,” he says. Another joy of Mr Stoddard’s life is spending time with his grandchildren as often as he can.
WHAT TO GET CHECKED: Osteoporosis, colorectal screening, dementia, Alzheimer’s, mental health, cholesterol.
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