Canadian men live unhealthy lifestyles: Study

Not enough exercise, too much food, booze

Junk food, booze, smoking and lack of sleep.

All of these factors contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle. According to a study, 72% of men in Canada have two or more traits that lead to this type of lifestyle.

The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF) compiled the first national study on men’s health behaviours. The study — which coincides with Canadian Men’s Health Week — looks at five health behaviours that prevent chronic disease.

These factors are diet, sleep, exercise, smoking and drinking.

CMHF polled 2,000 men between the ages of 19 and 94 in late April.

Of those surveyed, 62% have an unhealthy diet. Just over half of them (54%) lack sleep, while 59% get less than 150 minutes of exercise in a week.

Thirty-nine per cent admit they have unhealthy dosages of alcohol, while 20% admit to smoking cigarettes.

“Think of these categories as a ladder. Most Canadian men can move up a rung by chang- ing just one unhealthy behaviour,” CMHF president Wayne Hartrick said in a media release. “They can go up two rungs by changing two behaviours, like eating five fist-sized servings of fruit and getting seven hours of sleep. It’s about having the control to veer away from disease versus ‘Oops, I’ve got it, it sucks and why didn’t I prevent it!'"

Of the 2,000 men polled, only 6% were classified as “very healthy.” Twenty-two per cent of the men only showed one unhealthy characteristic, while 31% were considered borderline with two unhealthy behaviours.

Forty-two per cent of the men survey displayed three or more unhealthy behaviours.

CMHF chairman Dr. Larry Goldenberg said the study now gives the organization a platform to study healthy behaviour of men over time.

“I hope other researchers will use this platform to study different populations around the globe and design targeted interventions to engage men to live healthier lifestyles,” Goldenberg said in a media release. "After all, 70% of men’s chronic health conditions are caused by lifestyle and, unlike genetics, can be changed to improve your health.”