Size Does Matter When it Comes to Men's Health Risks Across the UK
BRIGHTON, England, October 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
As regional survey results show a third of UK men are so overweight they are unable to see their genitals[1] due to a protruding midriff, medics are encouraging men to make one potentially lifesaving check and to weigh up their health risks.
The survey, carried out across all regions of the UK, found the highest percentage of men who could not see their privates due to belly overhang were in the West Midlands and the lowest number in the South East (see below for regional statistics).
The BIG check:
In light of the new findings, new online men's health service - WeLoveOurHealth.co.uk - has launched the 'Big Check' Campaign. The initiative, backed by leading medical professionals[2], hopes to encourage men to make one simple, yet potentially lifesaving health check - by asking "Can you see your manhood?" - to highlight the importance of a man's waist measurement, rather than his Body Mass Index (BMI), for determining his risk of developing weight-related illness such as stroke, diabetes and heart disease.
A&E specialist and WeLoveOurHealth.co.uk's online doctor, Dr Johan du Plessis, says: "This new research is really worrying and men must be encouraged to wake up to the potential life threatening risks of being overweight and to make this vital check. An obese man who can't see his penis is five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, three times more likely to develop cancer of the colon and more than two and a half times more likely to develop high blood pressure - a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease."
[] One Poll Survey on behalf of WeLoveOurHealth; results published September 2012.
[2] Dr Johan du Plessis: Associate Specialist in Emergency Medicine. Dr Sarah Brewer: GP and award winning health writer. Dr Yvette Lolin: Consultant in Metabolic Medicine and Clinical Pathology.
Dr David Brennand-Roper: the Emeritus Cardiologist at Guys and St Thomas Hospital, London
Percentage of men surveyed who said their belly obstructs their view of their manhood:
East Anglia 36.54%
East Midlands 37.74%
London 30.57%
North East 35.19%
North West 39.26%
Northern Ireland 34.62%
Scotland 30%
South East 22.89%
South West 23.66%
Wales 30.95%
West Midlands 43.33%
Yorkshire and the Humber 38.20%
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