Lifestyle diseases affecting more young men in metros

Zee Media Bureau

Mumbai: Lifestyle diseases are taking toll on men's health with a new survey showing how men need to get proactive about their health in today's often fast-paced society.

According to a survey released on the occasion of World Men's Health Week, lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes and high cholesterol, are now hitting more young Indian men in metropolitan cities.

The survey by Metropolis Healthcare states that more than half of the men in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chennai suffer from diabetes, despite rising awareness.

Of the 38,966 samples screened during June 9-15, 56.81 percent reported high diabetes levels.

Over 41.48 percent of the samples were in the age group of 20-40, indicating an increasing trend of younger population getting hit by diabetes.

The survey also found 8.21 percent with high cholesterol levels and 23.01 percent in the same age group with growing rate of cholesterol in another sample collected from 35,886 males.

While high diabetes levels are usually associated with age, other factors like body mass index, stress, family history of the disease, lack of physical activity etc significantly add to the problem.

Both diabetics and high-cholesterol patients are highly risk-prone to cardiovascular diseases besides other major health problems.

The study suggested that besides regular screenings, people should go for preventive measures like reducing obesity, increasing physical activity, decreasing salt intake, among others.

Moreover, the study also disclosed a worrying trend of prostrate cancer.

Of 20,054 samples tested for it, 4,064 samples showed marginally high risk of prostrate cancer.

“Individuals have become more aware of the fact that heart disease is not just a disease of the elderly and are now a lot more determined to go a long way in combating this disease.”

“Regular screening of unhealthy cholesterol and lipid levels would help identify people who are at a greater risk of high cholesterol,”said a statement from Metropolis Healthcare.

(With IANS Inputs)