The lifestyles males lead can influence how healthy they are in the short and long term. A lifestyle including exercise, a well-balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy body weight, may reduce the risk of poor health. A lifestyle of risky behaviours, such as smoking tobacco, misusing alcohol and other substances, or exposure to violence, may increase the likelihood of poor health.
Physical activity
Regular sufficient physical activity helps maintain a healthy body weight and reduce the risk of many chronic conditions and injuries. Sport and other forms of physical activity can also improve mental wellbeing and may foster social networks which provide support and opportunities for development.
Sufficient physical activity is generally interpreted as 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity on at least five days of the week—a total of 150 minutes per week.
In 2007–08, 42% of men aged 18 and over exercised sufficiently (2 in 5). This rate differed by age. Exercise rates were highest among men aged 18–24 (49%) and lowest among men aged 75 and over (30%).
Overweight and obesity
Excess body weight, known as overweight and obesity, is a risk factor for many conditions, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea and osteoarthritis.
Excess body weight can be measured using the body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters (kg/m2). A BMI of over 25 is overweight; a BMI of over 30 is obese.
Based on the BMI, 2 in 3 adult males in Australia are overweight or obese: 42% are overweight, and 26% are obese.
Around 1 in 4 boys (aged 5–17) are overweight or obese: 16% are overweight, and 9% are obese.
Tobacco smoking, alcohol and illicit drugs
Tobacco
Tobacco smoking is the single most preventable cause of poor health and death in Australia. In 2007, it was estimated that around 1.5 million males aged 14 and over (18% of the population) were daily smokers.
The proportion of males who smoke tobacco differs by age and between population groups:
- 10% of older males (65 or over) are current smokers, compared with 22% of younger males (14–64).
- males born overseas are slightly less likely to smoke (18%) compared with males born in Australia (19%).
Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for a variety of health problems, including liver and heart conditions, and poor mental health. It also contributes to accident and injury, such as motor vehicle accidents, physical violence and homicide.
In 2007, more than half of males aged 14 and over (58%) were consuming alcohol on a daily or weekly basis, and 10% were drinking at levels that placed them at risk or high risk of harm in the long term.
Illicit substances
Illicit substance use includes use of illegal drugs (such as cannabis and heroin), or inappropriate use of prescription pharmaceuticals (such as sleeping pills) or other substances (such as naturally occurring hallucinogens). In 2007, 1.3 million Australian males aged 14 years and over (41%) had used an illicit drug in the previous 12 months (‘recent use’).
The pattern of illicit substance use differs between male population groups:
- 62% of males living in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas have never used illicit drugs, compared with 55% of males living in the least socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
Violence
Violence is the intentional threat or actual use of physical force or power against oneself, another person, or a group, that results in injury, death, psychological harm, abnormal growth or deprivation.
- In 2005, 50% of males aged 15 and over had ever been a victim of violence. Just over 10% had experienced violence in the 12 months to 2005.