Men’s Health Related Behaviors

A broad range of health related behaviors influences the health of men.

Surveys showed that men were more likely than their female counterparts to smoke (22.0% vs. 3.5%), but were less likely to have a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables and low in fats. About 35% of men reported not doing exercise and 38% were considered as overweight or obese.

Alcohol is a health issue for a significant number of men. A local survey found that 8.3% of respondents reported drinking 4 days or more per week. Of those who said they drank, 16% had episodes of binge drinking in the past month preceding the survey.

Illicit drug use and pathological gambling tended to be a male phenomenon, with men outnumbering women at a ratio of 5:1 and 15:1 respectively.

Men’s high-risk sexual behaviors expose them to various sexually transmitted diseases. 6.3% and 4.9% of men reported that they had never and occasionally used condoms when having sex with commercial sex workers.