Most Canadian men have enough bad habits to boost their risk for chronic disease
By Wendy Haaf
Almost three-quarters of Canadian men are living an unhealthy lifestyle, according to a national survey conducted on behalf of the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF), a national not-for-profit organization.
The survey explored five behaviours that can increase one’s risk for chronic disease: smoking, unhealthy drinking, not exercising, a poor diet, and insufficient or excessive sleep; according to the survey results, 72% of men regularly demonstrate two or more of these unhealthy habits.
Men deemed to have a healthy lifestyle (22%) exhibited only one of the five bad habits; “very healthy” men (6%) had none of the five bad habits.
In detail, a healthy lifestyle means consistently following at least four of five healthy behaviours: staying tobacco-free; sleeping no more than eight and no fewer than seven hours nightly; being physically active for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week; eating five to seven daily servings of vegetables and fruit; and limiting alcohol to no more than three drinks a day while abstaining for at least two days a week.
In announcing the results, the CMHF pointed out that changing just one unhealthy behaviour can improve your health status. For tips and success stories, check out Don’tChangeMuch.ca.
Photo: iStock/caraman.
