Originally published June 19 2005
Survey: About 70 percent of U.K. men consider themselves overweight
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to just-food.com, a survey conducted for Men's Health Week found 70 percent of males consider themselves to be overweight, which is slightly over the official tally that estimates 65 percent of males are in the "unhealthy weight" category.
About 70% of men consider themselves overweight according to a new survey for the Men's Health Forum for Men's Health Week which starts today (Monday).
This is slightly more than the official figure which puts 65% of men in the 'unhealthy weight' category (defined as a body mass index over 25), it said.
National Men's Health Week aims to raise awareness of the increase in male weight problems.
About two thirds of men (65%) currently have a body mass index of more than 25 (the conventional indicator of an unhealthy, excess weight) compared to just over half of women (55%).
Projections for 2010, based on present trends, show that three quarters of men (75%) will be overweight or obese compared to just under two thirds of women (64%).
Currently, health messages about weight loss are almost all geared to women, but this approach does not connect with men.
Only 39% of the men who believed themselves to be overweight said that long-term health risks would be a motivator for weight loss.
Only a third of overweight men would be motivated to lose weight even if being overweight affected their sex life.
Although a large majority of men (over 80%) know that being overweight is associated with heart disease and high blood pressure, fewer understand the links with other significant health problems.
Men tend to store excess weight around their waist (abdomen) but once a man's waist reaches 40 inches, the risk of becoming seriously ill increases dramatically.
"Men need to be made more aware of the health implications of excess abdominal fat, or central obesity, and how to lose weight,' said Dr David Haslam, chair of the National Obesity Forum.
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