Patient Education

94% of Canadian men have at least one unhealthy behavior that, if modified, could extend their life, a recent study finds¹.

Researchers created a health classification model to assess the current health status of men. Two thousand men were included in the study and answered survey questions related to five key behaviours: exercise, diet, smoking, sleep and alcohol intake.

The results of the study were published in the Canadian Urological Association Journal (CUAJ) in April and showed the following:

• More than half of the participating men did not get an optimal amount of sleep,
• Approximately half of the men didn’t get enough exercise,
• Over 60% of the men had an unhealthy diet,
• Approximately 40% of the men overused alcohol, and
• Approximately 20% of the men smoked.

The study also found that men with less education, men with lower incomes, men who are retired and men who live with children and/or extended families engaged in fewer healthy behaviours. The researchers concluded that the study “affirm[ed] the need for targeted lifestyle interventions” for Canadian men.

How can you increase your lifespan?

Eliminating unhealthy behaviours could prevent as much as 80% of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes and 40% of cancers in Canadians. You can decrease your risk of disease and possibly increase your lifespan by following the guidelines below:

• Sleep 7 to 9 hours per night.
  
• Get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate to intense exercise per week.
  
• Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day and reduce salt, saturated fat and refined sugars in your diet.
  
• Quit smoking.
  
• Limit your alcohol consumption: maximum 10 drinks per week, 3 drinks per occasion (women), 15 drinks per week, 4 drinks per occasion (men).

Resources

1. Flannigan RK, Oliffe JL, McCreary DR, et al. Composite health behavior classifier as the basis for targeted interventions and global comparisons in men’s health. Can Urol Assoc J. 2019 Apr;13(4):125-132.
   
2. Canada’s Food Guide: food-guide.canada.ca
   
3. Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology: www.csep.ca
   Guidelines for physical exercise
   
4. HeretoHelp: www.heretohelp.bc.ca
   Mental health and substance use information
   
5. AlbertaQuits: www.albertaquits.ca
   Information and support for quitting smoking