Older Aussie men are fatter
They may eat more fruit and vegetables, but older Australian men are reportedly less active, subsequently making them fatter. Coinciding with International Men’s Health Week which was celebrated last week, a study, released last Friday (15 June 2012).
They may eat more fruit and vegetables, but older Australian men are reportedly less active, subsequently making them fatter.
Coinciding with International Men’s Health Week which was celebrated last week, a study, released last Friday (15 June 2012), compares the health of indigenous, rural, poor, migrant and older males.
The median age for Australia’s male population was 36 years in 2010. About 12% of men fall into the ‘older’ classification of being 65 years or over.
Only 37% of men aged 65 years and over are reportedly at risk of inadequate fruit intake, compared to 57% of males aged 15 to 64 years, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report.
When it comes to not eating enough vegetables, some 87% of older men are at risk. However, 94% of those younger than 65 years aren’t getting enough greens.
But it’s not all good news for the older folk as some 62% aren’t getting enough physical exercise (at least 30 minutes five days a week), compared with 57% of the younger generations.
Men born overseas in English-speaking countries are more likely than Australian-born males to get enough exercise across all ages.
Some 48% of English-speaking migrants are at risk of inadequate physical exercise compared with 58% of Australian-born males. The death rate for all male migrants is 11% lower than for Australian-born men.
Men born overseas are generally less likely to smoke, drink excessively or use drugs.
Are you an older Aussie male who likes his greens but doesn’t exercise enough? Share your thoughts on this study by commenting below.
