Do you have a hazardous waist?

Men’s Health Week 2017 – which runs from June 12th-18th – is going to be themed around the problem of abdominal obesity – or ‘belly fat’ – with men being challenged “Do YOU have a hazardous waist?”

Martin Tod, Chief Executive of the Men’s Health Forum commented:

“Men are more likely to be overweight, more likely to face health problems such as diabetes because they are overweight, and less likely to get support to tackle their weight problems from health professionals. And when they are offered help, too many of the services they are offered don’t reflect the latest research and don’t meet their needs.”

Our goal for Men’s Health Week 2017 is to help more men take action to address their weight problems, but also to get more services in place that are designed to work for men.

The Facts

Too many men are overweight – they don’t realise (and women don’t realise either) – and it’s killing them:

• 67.8% of men are now overweight or obese vs. 58.1% of women.  26.9% of men are obese vs. 26.8% of women. (Health Survey for England 2015).
• In general, men are less likely to perceive themselves – and women are less likely to perceive men – as too heavy.

Men’s excess weight – especially round the belly is leading directly to higher levels of diabetes and cancers, such as prostate cancer according to some studies but there is no definite medical evidence. Men get diabetes at a lower BMI and are the majority of those with diabetes.

Services and health professionals are also failing men

Despite the high level of men (and women) being overweight or obese, referral rates from the NHS Health Check are shockingly low – especially for men.

2.2% of men doing NHS Health Checks were referred to weight management services vs. 3.5% of women. (Source: Men’s Health Forum FOI 2015).

For more information go to www.menshealthforum.org.uk/mhw or ring 07887 98604