Men's Health Week 2018 - Your Wellbeing Matters


Men’s Health Week falls every year on 11th until 17th June; the week aims to raise awareness of health issues facing men as well as encourage those to not be afraid of seeking professional advice. 

The theme of Men’s Health Week 2018 is Diabetes; diabetes is a disease that is growing in the UK and affects men more than women. 1 in 10 men now have diabetes and this figure is expected to rise significantly in the next 20 years.

Here are facts about how men are affected by the illness:

  • Men are 26% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women.
  • Men are more likely to be overweight with a BMI of 25+ than women.
  • Men are twice as likely to die or die prematurely as a result of diabetes. 
  • Men are more likely to suffer from foot ulcers and have a foot amputated due to diabetes. 
  • 3 in 5 cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by maintaining a healthy weight, eating right and staying active. 

It is believed men are more adversely affected by diabetes due to men being less likely to engage in health checks, weight management programmes and diabetes engagement programmes. Martin Tod, Chief Executive of the Men’s Health Forum, has said:

“Men are more likely to get diabetes. More likely to suffer complications.  More likely to face amputation as a result of diabetes. And more likely to die from diabetes.

Diabetes is hitting men especially hard, but too little is being done to understand the problem and tackle the problem. The Men’s Health Forum wants to see a serious programme of research and investment to ensure men get the support and care they need to prevent and manage diabetes.

The toxic combination of ever more men being overweight, men getting diabetes at a lower BMI and health services that don’t work well enough for working age men is leading to a crisis.”

Find out more on how you can prevent developing this awful disease via the Diabetes UK website. Kent-Teach have also created an infographic, originally created for World Diabetes Day, on 5 Steps to Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes.

Although diabetes is a serious health issue that faces British men, Men’s Health Week doesn’t just warn about diabetes; Men’s Health Forum provide online support for men and have plenty of information on the issues facing males in the UK.  

We hope this article has helped raise more awareness of diabetes, inspired you to take action and improve your overall health if you feel you need to. 

Check out Madeleine Shaw's recipe, 'Healthy Summer Eating - Gluten Free Thai Lamb Meatballs' to help you on your journey to better your wellbeing. 

Sources: 

https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/mens-health-week-2018-diabetes 

https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/one-ten-male-diabetes-crisis 

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