The 3 conditions that are more likely to kill MEN revealed – as experts issue stark warning
MEN are more likely than women to get sick and die from three common conditions, warn researchers - and are also less likely to get help for them.
There's been strong evidence in the past that sex and gender can substantially influence a person's health.
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Men have been found more likely to develop certain heart diseases, while women have a higher risk of osteoporosis.
Studies have also suggested women are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, while men are more likely to struggle with substance abuse and suicide.
A new study by Angela Chang of the University of Southern Denmark, and colleagues focused on three conditions - hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, and HIV and AIDS.
The analysis identified significant differences between the sexes at each step in the “health pathway".
This included exposure to a risk factor, development of the condition, diagnosis, treatment and death.
Looking at global health data for people of different sexes and ages for the three conditions, the researchers found men had higher rates of disease and higher rates of death compared to females, and in some countries, were less likely to seek out health care and adhere to treatment.
In most countries, men were also more likely to smoke, while women were more like to be obese and engage in unsafe sex.
Overall, the study suggests public health professionals need to develop strategies to encourage males to participate in preventive and health care services.
Professors Kent Buse and Sarah Hawkes, co-founders and co-CEOs of Global 50/50 said: “We have long advocated the benefits of publishing sex disaggregated data.
"As our Gendered Health Pathways demonstrates, such data can reveal where the health journeys of men and women diverge be it in relation to the risk factors they are exposed to, their health care seeking behaviors or their experiences in health care systems.
"That is an important first step towards health equity.
"Most of these differences are not explained by sex (biology) alone, but by socially-constructed gender – highlighting the importance of taking a gender justice approach to reducing health inequities.
"A gender analysis can help to shape systems of health for all.”
Angela Chang, senior author, added: “The evidence is clear: sex differences persist at nearly every point along the health pathway, from higher smoking rates in men to higher obesity prevalence in women, yet interventions rarely reflect this.
"Without sex-disaggregated cascade data, we’re flying blind—unable to detect who is falling through the cracks in prevention, diagnosis, and care.”
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Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition where the force of your blood against your artery walls is consistently too high.
This means the heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout your body.
The condition can lead to serious health problems if not managed, including heart attack and stroke.
Hypertension can be caused by a combination of factors, including genetics, lifestyle choices, and underlying medical conditions.
A family history of high blood pressure increases your risk of developing it, lifestyle choices such as following an unhealthy diet and smoking can contribute to increased blood pressure, and conditions like kidney disease can play a role in regulating blood pressure.
The condition often has no noticeable symptoms, even when blood pressure is dangerously high.
The most effective way to determine if you have high blood pressure is through a blood pressure test performed by a healthcare professional or by using a validated home blood pressure monitor.
If you have hypertension, the following tips below could help you lower it...
Persistent high blood pressure (hypertension) puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs and it can raise your risk of serious conditions like heart disease, heart attacks and stroke. Here's how to reduce it.
Reduce salt
Adults are recommended to limit their salt to 6g per day (around one level teaspoon) to avoid health consequences including high blood pressure.
The top tip is to swap out table salt, according to the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study, replacing it with a reduced sodium and added potassium alternative.
Cut down on alcohol
Excessive boozing can narrow the blood vessels, which raises the risk of hypertension.
Official drinking guidelines advise that people should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week to keep health risks from alcohol low.
Get moving
Exercise is good for the heart and the blood vessels.
Although the guidelines recommend 150 minutes of activity per week, if you're currently very inactive, just a walk to the shop every day is better than nothing, and you can work up from there.
Studies suggest that isometric exercises - when you hold the body in one position without moving, such as a wall squat or plank - are best for lowering blood pressure.
Stop smoking
Smoking cigarettes is a killer. It makes the arteries sticky and narrow, which can cause blockages.
While smoking is not a direct cause of high blood pressure, it can cause an instant rise to pressure, heart rate and reduce the amount of oxygen that gets to the body’s cells.
Skip coffee
Sadly, caffeine can cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure - even if you don't have high blood pressure.
Therefore cutting back on coffee is recommended as a lifestyle tip for those with hypertension.
Lose weight
The above tips can help you to lose weight, which is beneficial because being overweight in itself is a risk factor for hypertension.
Being overweight forces your heart to work harder to pump blood around your body, which can raise your blood pressure.
The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test. All adults over 40 years old are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years.
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Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels.
This occurs when the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or can't properly use the insulin it produces.
Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose, a type of sugar, enter cells for energy.
When glucose stays in the bloodstream, it can lead to serious health problems over time, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage.
Diabetes symptoms can vary in severity and how quickly they appear, but some common signs include increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, and feeling very tired.
Other potential symptoms include blurred vision, slow-healing wounds, and increased hunger.
Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, is often linked to lifestyle factors like obesity and physical inactivity, as well as genetics and age.
To lower your risk, follow the steps below...
According to Diabetes UK, there are a few diet tweaks you can make to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes:
- Choose drinks without added sugar - skip out the sugar in your tea and coffee and stay away from fizzy and energy drinks
- Eat whole grains such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta, wholemeal flour, wholegrain bread and oats instead of refined carbs
- Cut down on red and processed meat like bacon, ham, sausages, pork, beef and lamb
- Eat plenty of fruit and veg - apples, grapes, berries, and green leafy veg such as spinach, kale, watercress, and rocket have been associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
- Have unsweetened yoghurt and cheese
- Cut down on booze - and have a few days a week with none at all
- Have healthy snacks like unsweetened yoghurt, unsalted nuts, seeds and fruit and veg
- Eat healthy fats included in nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil
- Cut down on salt
- Get your vitamins and minerals from food instead of tablets
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Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body's immune system.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occurs at the most advanced stage of infection
In the UK, most cases of HIV are caused by having sex with a person who has HIV without using a condom.
If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications, including a weakened immune system, increased risk of infections and certain cancers, and neurological problems.
Most people infected with HIV experience a short, flu-like illness that occurs two to six weeks after infection, says the NHS.
After this, HIV may not cause any symptoms for several years.
It's estimated up to 80 per cent of people who are infected with HIV experience this flu-like illness.
The most common symptoms are a raised temperature (fever), sore throat, and body rash.
Other symptoms can include tiredness, joint pain, muscle pain, and swollen glands.
The symptoms usually last one to two weeks, but can be longer.
They're a sign that your immune system is putting up a fight against the virus.
But the NHS advises having these symptoms doesn't necessarily mean you have the HIV virus - they're commonly caused by conditions other than HIV.
If you experience several of the symptoms and think you've been at risk of HIV infection, you should get a HIV test.
Find out if you're at risk of HIV below...
HIV is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
An estimated 106,890 people are living with the condition in the UK.
In most cases, it spreads through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person.
Most people will experience flu-like symptoms two to six weeks after being infected.
This tends to include a sore throat, fever and a rash all over the body, which lasts one to two weeks.
After this, HIV may not cause any symptoms at all, but the virus continues to damage your immune system.
Some people go on to experience weight loss, night sweats, thrush in the mouth, an increase in herpes or cold sore outbreaks, swollen glands in the groin, neck or armpit, long-lasting diarrhoea, and tiredness.
While there is no cure for HIV, there are very effective treatments that enable most people with the virus to live long and healthy lives.
Medication now reduces the amount of the virus in the body to the point of being undetectable, meaning it cannot be transmitted.
The only way to find out if you have HIV is to have a test. This involves giving a sample of your blood or saliva.
The most effective ways to prevent or reduce the risk of infection include using a condom for sex, post-exposure prophylaxis, pre-exposure prophylaxis, treatment for HIV to reduce the viral load to be undetectable, and never sharing needles or other injecting equipment, including syringes, spoons or swabs.
Source: NHS
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