June is Men’s Health Month, a national observance used to raise awareness about health care for men and focus on encouraging boys, men and their families to practice and implement healthy living decisions, such as exercising and eating healthy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men in the United States, on average, die 5 years earlier than women and die at higher rates from the three leading causes of death, heart disease, cancer and unintentional injuries. During Men’s Health Month, we encourage men to take control of their health, and for families to teach young boys healthy habits throughout childhood.
–US Department of Health & Human Services
Some of the Leading Causes of Death in American Males
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Chronic liver disease
Healthy and Smart Living for a Long Life
In this section, we are going to focus on a few of the leading causes of death just mentioned, providing you with data along with tips on how to prevent succumbing to these diseases.
Heart Disease
Encompassing heart conditions such as coronary artery disease and heart attack, heart disease is the leading cause of death for American males. Unfortunately, heart disease is responsible for nearly 25% of male deaths.
How can I reduce my risk of heart disease?
To reduce your chances of getting heart disease, it’s important to do the following:
- Know your blood pressure. Having uncontrolled blood pressure can result in heart disease. High blood pressure has no symptoms so it’s important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Learn more about high blood pressure.
- Talk to your health care provider about whether you should be tested for diabetes. Having diabetes raises your risk of heart disease. Learn more about diabetes.
- Quit smoking. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, learn ways to quit.
- Discuss checking your cholesterol and triglyceride levels with your health care provider. Learn more about cholesterol.
- Make healthy food. Having overweight or obesity raises your risk of heart disease. Learn more about overweight and obesity.
- Limit alcohol intake to one drink a day. Learn more about alcohol.
- Lower your stress level and find healthy ways to cope with stress. Learn more about coping with stress.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers for American males. This disease affects around one in eight men, and often develops in those 65 years or older, but there are many younger men diagnosed with prostate cancer also.
Beating Prostate Cancer
The most effective way to defeat prostate cancer is by getting screened for early detection. When caught in its early stages, prostate cancer is much easier to treat. If you are 55 years or older, you may want to consider speaking with your doctor to find out if you should get screened for prostate cancer.
Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases
Chronic lower respiratory disease, also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), primarily refers to chronic bronchitis and emphysema. More than 10 million Americans are diagnosed with COPD every year.
Preventing COPD
Because about 80% of COPD-related deaths are linked to smoking cigarettes, the best method of prevention is not smoking. If you do happen to smoke, these How to Quit Smoking tips provided by the CDC can help.
