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This year an estimated 184,500 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in
the United States, and 39,200 men will die from the disease, according to the American
Cancer Society.
A high-fat diet is a major risk factor. But so is family history. Some studies indicate
that men whose relatives had prostate cancer have a two- to three-fold the risk of
developing the disease themselves.
Here's what to do. If you're 40 years old or older, ask your doctor about having
a digital rectal examination every year.
To lower your risk of developing prostate cancer, reduce your consumption of fats,
particularly animal fats found in meat and dairy products. That also can reduce your
risk of developing heart disease.
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One in five Americans suffers from heart disease, high blood pressure or stroke.
For many people these conditions are silent until they erupt in a heart attack or
a burst blood vessel in the brain.
American men have the lion's share of heart attacks more than 600,000 a year and
a third of them die as a result.
Major risk factors include smoking, high blood cholesterol, physical inactivity,
obesity and diabetes. Family history also is important.
If, for example, your relatives wear most of their fat around their bellies, rather
than on their hips, you are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according
to the National Men's Health Foundation, an educational organization in Emmaus, Pa.
For African-Americans, the picture is even gloomier.
Compared to whites, blacks develop high blood pressure at an earlier age, and it
is more severe. As a result, blacks are nearly twice as likely to die of stroke,
and five times more likely to develop end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis,
according to the American Heart Association.
Some of this is due to lack of access to medical care and the early diagnosis and
treatment that often can head off fatal outcomes.
``It's hard to differentiate in many cases how much is genetic and how much is cultural
or environmental,'' says Dr. David Maron, director of the heart disease prevention
program at Vanderbilt's Dayani Center.
But genetic factors seem to play a role in the triad of diseases high blood pressure,
obesity and diabetes that afflict many African-Americans.
To reduce your risk, stop smoking. Cut your fat and salt intake. Exercise. Lose weight.
"Look at all the risk factors,'' adds Dr. John Thomas, professor of medicine
at Meharry who has studied disease risk factors in a group of Meharry graduates for
40 years. Have your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar checked.
African-Americans may be more susceptible to hypertension. But that doesnít mean
they can't prevent a stroke. ``It means they need to work harder,'' Thomas says.
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Test your knowledge
This quiz was designed for National Men's Health Week, which is this week.
1. What health threat is the biggest killer of men in the United States?
a) Lung cancer
b) Heart disease
c) Auto accidents
Answer: b) In a recent year, more than 450,000 men died from heart disease, about
96,000 from lung cancer, and 29,000 from auto accidents.
2. How often should you have your blood pressure checked?
a) Every six months
b) Every year
c) Every three years
Answer: (b) You should have your blood pressure checked by your doctor at least once
a year, more often if you have high blood pressure or other risk factors such as
being overweight.
3. What's the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables you should
eat each day?
a) Three
b) Four
c) Five
Answer: (c) USDA dietary guidelines recommend you eat at least three servings of
vegetables and two servings of fruit every day.
4. As a man, what nutrient should make up the bulk of your diet?
a) Fat
b) Protein
c) Carbohydrate
Answer: (c) The average man should get a minimum of 60% of his daily calories from
carbohydrates, no fewer than 10% from protein and no more than 30% from fat.
5. Your blood pressure is 170 over 90. This reading is considered:
a) Low
b) In the normal range
c) High
Answer: c) Repeated readings of 140 over 90 or greater denote high blood pressure.
6. The results of your cholesterol test indicate that your LDLs (low-density lipoproteins)
are low, but your HDLs (high-density lipoproteins) are very high. You should be:
a) Placed on cholesterol-lowering drugs
b) Slightly concerned
c) Very pleased
Answer: c) HDL is the ``good'' cholesterol; it helps clear your arteries of the fatty
deposits that can cause heart attacks and strokes. LDL is the ``bad'' cholesterol
that at high levels tends to stimulate the buildup of fatty deposits.
7. What's the best type of exercise for improving your cholesterol profile?
a) Walking
b) Sit-ups
c) Push-ups
Answer: a) Regular aerobic exercise, including a brisk walk, can lower LDL, while
raising HDL cholesterol.
8. What's the best exercise to preserve bone mass?
a) Walking
b) Weight lifting
c) Running
Answer: b) Resistance training with weights has been shown to preserve bone as well
as build muscle in men.
9. As a man, which disease don't you have to worry about getting?
a) Breast cancer
b) Osteoporosis
c) Cystitis
Answer: Trick question. Though not as common among men as women, all of these conditions
can threaten a man's health.
10. If you exercise regularly, how much water should you be drinking every day?
a) Four to six glasses
b) Six to eight glasses
c) 10-11 glasses
Answer: c) If you exercise regularly, you'll need at least two to three more glasses
than the recommended eight a day. Even mild dehydration can leave you feeling weak
and may cut into your performance gains in the gym.
Source: National Men's Health Foundation
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Copyright 1998 by United Press International |
