| In fact, of the top 10 causes of death in America, | | | | People can be good medicine as doctors at Harvard |
| men are only affected less by one, Alzheimer's | | | | University have said. Good personal relationships and |
| disease. Men also have more chronic illnesses than | | | | support networks reduce several risks, such as colds, |
| women. | | | | depression, and heart attacks and strokes. Women |
| They are nearly 10 times more likely to get inguinal | | | | tend to have larger and more reliable social networks |
| hernias than women, and five times more likely to | | | | than men. Although, it is not the number of people |
| have aortic aneurysms. Four times more American | | | | you know but the quality of the relationships that |
| men get gout, and 3 times more become alcoholics, | | | | seems to make the biggest difference. The New |
| get bladder cancer, or kidney stones. Two times | | | | England Research Institute found that 28% of |
| more men suffer from emphysema or duodenal | | | | women but only 9% of men feel they can rely on |
| ulcers. | | | | friends for support. Men were 2.5 times more likely |
| So why do males die more frequently? | | | | than women to lack social support. |
| Genetics? | | | | Behavior? |
| Men have only a single X chromosome and Y | | | | Yep. Here is the 'big daddy' set of risks. From |
| chromosome (which has few genes). Women, with | | | | adolescence onwards, behavior is the big killer for |
| two X chromosomes can sometimes get away with | | | | men. Risky behavior... whether in actions, attitudes or |
| disease causing errors in the X chromosome by | | | | life style. Males tend to take more physical risks with |
| having a good backup copy on the other X | | | | things like driving, sports, thrill seeking, and a range of |
| chromosome. Men on the other hand have no backup | | | | pursuits for pleasure or showmanship. Done well and |
| copies. This means that on average, men will have a | | | | professionally, such activities can be a great source |
| few more genetic based diseases | | | | of entertainment for both the participants and |
| Hormones? | | | | audience. Just look at some of the fabulous new |
| Surprisingly, hormones don't appear to be as major a | | | | sports appearing in the winter Olympics as an |
| factor as you might think. Apart from behavioral | | | | example. Done without minimising the risks- not |
| aspects, research has shown that natural levels of | | | | sensible! Laws protect against some things- examples |
| testosterone appear to contribute little to overall | | | | being seatbelts and helmets. |
| mortality in males. Although it can have an effect on | | | | Males are more physically aggressive and violent (on |
| diseases of the prostate. Estrogens seem to have | | | | average). This puts them more often in the path of |
| some protective effects for women by increasing | | | | physical danger for themselves (but it is also a major |
| HDL levels. | | | | concern for women and children as well). Learning to |
| Reproductive anatomy? | | | | respond with words can make a big difference. |
| Nope, women are a bit ahead in the death rates | | | | Smoking still kills more men than women, although |
| there. | | | | women have been catching up. The good thing is |
| Metabolism? | | | | that more established smokers are giving up. But |
| Women have higher levels of HDL. This may provide | | | | more men (24%) than women (18%) still smoke, and |
| some benefits. Diabetes rates are similar for men and | | | | more male (30%) than female (21%) teenagers are |
| women, as is obesity. However, the site where fat is | | | | taking up smoking. Smoking is one of the riskiest of |
| deposited makes a big difference. Lower body fat | | | | all habits! |
| deposits (pear shape) seem to be less of a risk | | | | Alcohol and drug abuse also kills more men than |
| compared with visceral (gut) fat. That once | | | | women. Again, women are catching up. Alcohol kills |
| 'venerated' symbol of drinking, the beer gut, could | | | | 85,000 Americans a year. Drug abuse kills another |
| cost on average 6 years of a man's life. In essence, | | | | 17,000. Men are 80% more likely to abuse drugs |
| the major differences in the health quality and length | | | | Guess what the most common risky behaviours for |
| of life between adult males and females are mostly | | | | men are? |
| linked with behavior and social interactions. Work | | | | Yep!... Poor diets, lack of exercise and avoiding |
| stress and aggressive (Type A) personalities have | | | | medical examinations and treatments. Perhaps you |
| contributed to male death rates. Although, more | | | | could call it the "Mad Comic Syndrome"... "What Me |
| women have been climbing this mortality ladder | | | | Worry"? Men tend to eat more junk foods. And eat |
| recently. | | | | less fruit and vegetables (50% less men eat enough). |
| Lack of social support? | | | | |