"With the nation’s health continuing to be in the spotlight, it’s positive to see that many men are taking responsibility for their wellbeing by leading a healthy lifestyle."
- Dr Doug Wright, Medical Director at Aviva UK Health
Of those surveyed (1,000 men aged 16 or above), 58% rated their physical health as good or higher. Amongst those aged 25-34 years old, 67% agreed with this rating, followed by 35-44 years old (66%), 45-54 years old (58%), 16-24 years old (53%), and 55+ (52%). Notably, the percentage of those aged 16-24 who thought their physical health was poor or very poor (21%) almost equalled that of those aged 55+ (23%).
Nearly three quarters (74%) said they’re actively leading a healthy lifestyle, whether that’s getting out in the fresh air (25%), drinking enough water (25%), doing physical exercise at least twice per week (21%), or eating a balanced diet (19%).
When asked what motivated them to do so, 41% said it was to feel healthy. A third (33%) of men said it’s to help prevent illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Slightly fewer (32%) recognised the long-term benefits of looking after their health – saying that they want to be healthy when they’re older.
Despite 74% of men saying they’re actively leading a healthy lifestyle, health anxiety is still high with three fifths worrying about their physical health at least once a month. Nearly one in seven (13%) of those men said they worry about their physical health every day.
63% were aware that their physical health has an impact on their mental health, with just under a quarter (24%) saying they keep active because it makes them feel happier. Body image remains a key motivator for leading a healthy lifestyle – particularly amongst the younger age groups. 21% said they wanted to look good whilst one in five said they were pursuing weight loss – on average, men check their weight twenty-four times a year.
14% felt there’s more pressure for men to look good; 19% agreed that men are more likely to make jokes about their appearance.
“Encouragingly, our research shows that health is front of mind for many men and that they also recognise the positive benefits that leading an active lifestyle can have on our physical and mental health – both now and in the future,” explained Dr Doug Wright, Medical Director at Aviva UK Health.
He said: “With the nation’s health continuing to be in the spotlight, it’s positive to see that many men are taking responsibility for their wellbeing by leading a healthy lifestyle.
“However, there’s still room for improvement. Around one in three men say they lack motivation or are too tired to lead a healthy lifestyle – but being more active can help to boost ‘feel good’ hormones, as well as offering other health benefits such as helping to improve sleep quality, our mood, heart health and reducing the risk of obesity,” Doug concluded.
