Men’s lifestyles put them at risk of cancer

Australian men’s lifestyle choices put their health at risk as figures reveal men are 84 per cent more likely to die of cancers that affect both men and women.

Cancer Council NSW today revealed that about 6,900 more men die of these cancers than women in Australia each year and lifestyle is playing a major role in skewing the health outcomes of Australian blokes.

“Men are putting their lives in danger by drinking more alcohol, smoking more tobacco and having higher overweight and obesity rates than women,” Associate Professor David Smith from Cancer Council NSW said.

“We also know that men are less likely to visit their GP than women and all of this is leading to a terrible situation where sadly, thousands more men are needlessly dying of cancer than women.”

In 2011-12:

• more men were overweight or obese than women (70.3% compared with 56.2%).
• men were more likely to smoke daily than women (18.2% compared with 14.4%).
• men were almost three times more likely to exceed the alcohol guidelines than women (29.1% compared with 10.1%).

“But, it doesn’t have to be this way. A third of cancers can be prevented by making some really simple changes.

“That’s why Cancer Council NSW has today launched a new campaign aimed squarely at blokes asking them to take control of their health and fix this gap in the male and female health outcomes.

“You don’t’ need to become a marathon runner or quit all of your favourite indulgences.  Introduce new lifestyle choices, swap a night in front of the TV for a game of footy with mates, swap the greasy burgers for lean meats, don’t drink as many beers, and if you think something is up, talk about it and get it checked out.”

Cancer Council NSW revealed the men’s cancer figures as it launched a new campaign called Sh*t Mates Don’t Say, a campaign aimed at getting men thinking and talking about their health.

The campaign is supported by celebrities including Vashti Whitfield, the wife of late Spartacus star Andy Whitfield who passed away in 2011 after an 18-month cancer battle.

(source: Cancer Council)

Related Diseases

• Bowel Cancer (Adenocarcinoma of the Caecum)
• Lung Cancer (Adenocarcinoma of the Lung)
• Prostate Cancer (Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate)

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