ABSTRACT

This book includes a foreword by Peter Baker, Chief Executive, The Men's Health Forum. Male weight problems are a serious public health issue and can lead to hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes and cancer. If current trends continue, the prospect of the majority of men becoming overweight is a very real one, and urgent action is imperative. The middle-aged spread that most men 'expect' to develop as they enter into their thirties and forties is now occurring much earlier with boys and young men developing life limiting weight problems. This multidisciplinary guide provides a gender sensitive approach to weight issues. Men need to be targeted specifically and in a male-focused manner, in order to overcome the multitude of contributing factors in their weight gain; social influences, dietary restrictions, education, cultural expectations, psychological considerations and exercise regime. This book takes a balanced approach, offering practical guidance as well as evidence-based research, academic perspectives and personal experiences. The advice is easy to implement and has been proven in real-life settings. All healthcare professionals, nutritionists and dieticians will find the assistance invaluable. It is also highly recommended for psychologists, counsellors and therapists, particularly those working with men. Healthcare policy makers and shapers too, will find much of interest. 'A definitive and seminal book that will change the way male weight problems are tackled in the UK and beyond.' - Peter Baker, in the Foreword.