ABSTRACT
In the UK, there is a particular concern regarding the physical activity and health behaviours of men. National statistics indicate that the health of men in the UK is poor. A recent and comprehensive report by White et al.,1 entitled The State of Men’s Health in Europe, highlighted that more than 100,000 men in the UK die prematurely (i.e. under the age of 75 years) each year and many of these deaths are a result of non-communicable lifestyle diseases such as fat-related cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Compared to women, men in the UK have a lower life expectancy (i.e. 77.4 years for men compared to 81.6 years for women), are three times more likely to become dependent on alcohol, more likely to commit suicide and twice as likely to die from a circulatory disease.2 Furthermore, 65% of men in the UK are currently classified as overweight or obese (BMI over 25) and only 39% of the male population are currently meeting the Chief Medical Officers recommendations for physical activity.3
