50-Plus Library: Real Men Need Fitness

Fifty-Plus Fitness Library

Real Men Need Fitness!

By Karl Knopf, Ed.D.

Did you know that being a male is a health risk? Statistics reveal that, on a whole, men don't live as long as women. If you don’t believe this go to most retirement homes and see how the women significantly outnumber the men. Did you know that for every 100 women that die between the ages of 45-65, one hundred and seventy men die! Boys are taught to be macho, be independent, deny pain and take better care of their tools than they care for their bodies. While all these characteristics play well in the movies, real life men are at more risk for premature death than are women.

MEN DEATH FACTS

Men die more than twice as often as women from accidents.
Men are 88% more likely to die of heart disease than women.
Men aged 55-64 die from pneumonia and the flu at twice the rate of women.
Prostate cancer kills more men than breast cancer kills women.
Cancer kills men 18% more often than women.
Men get osteoporosis, but generally ten years later than women.
Men get breast cancer also, and is usually more deadly in men than women because it is diagnosed later.

The list goes on, but the point is that men generally die younger than women. Other reasons we see less men in our older adult classes is because men generally men participate in higher risk jobs and recreational activities than do women.

Unfortunately, many men act as if they are invincible by overworking, under exercising and abusing food and alcohol, and mostly not seeing a doctor on a regular basis.

Knowledge is Power

It is important for those of us that teach community based fitness programs to educate our male clients that it is better to see the doctor early before a little problem turns into a major health problem. It is important for us to teach men the risk factors and early warning signs to some of the most common health problems seen in men such as the risk factors to : heart disease, CVA’s, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes.

We now know that being inactive is just as much of a risk factor as high cholesterol and high BP, therefore it is imperative that men get more active. We also know that being overfat/obese is another risk factor that can compromise the quality of life for men. Some of the research done by Dr. Blair (see article on Take a Hike) suggests that it is better to be fit and fat than to be slender and unfit. If you know of any man that is still smoking please encourage him to stop NOW! He’ll feel better now and could add and extra 4-8 years to his life.

Health Program for Men

When designing a fitness program for your male clients please try to include the following areas:
Total fitness that includes stretching, strengthening along with cardiovascular fitness and posture work.
Mobility and agility training should address balance skills along with fall prevention activities.
Remember that real MEN need to be educated that exercise can improve their quality of life and maybe the quantity of their life too!
For more information on men health issues call FEOAA for our men need fitness handouts.

Karl Knopf, (408) 450-1224, is President of Fitness Educators of Older Adults Association.