Dear Mr. Dad: My husband is a smart guy, but pays zero attention to his health. I resent that the responsibility has fallen to me, but I don’t have much of a choice. What can I do to help him—and to keep my son from becoming just like his dad?
A: Your husband is far from alone. Men’s lackadaisical attitude toward their health contributes to the fact that they’re 90 percent more likely than women to die of heart disease, 20 percent more likely to die of a stroke, and 40 percent more likely to die of cancer. Overall, women now outlive men by about five years.
The good news is that half of male premature deaths are preventable. But to accomplish that, men will have to make some serious lifestyle changes—something too few are willing to do—in part because from the time we’re little, we’re raised up not to cry, complain, or show signs of weakness.
Ironically, women pay a price for men’s poor health: because you live longer, you may see your husband and/or son suffer or die unnecessarily, leaving you to live on without their love, support, and companionship. Here’s what you can do right now to help.
