Men's health week: Data on Aussie blokes

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MEDIA RELEASE
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
11 June 2014
74/2014
Men's health week: Data on Aussie blokes

This week is Men’s Health Week (9-15 June 2014) and our latest statistics from the Australian Health Survey show that:
  • Three million Aussie blokes do moderate to high levels of exercise for fitness, recreation or sport every week. Common activities include fitness or gym training (11 per cent), jogging or running (9 per cent) and cycling (8 per cent).
  • Aussie blokes spend much more time on sedentary leisure activities, with the typical Australian male spending an average of 13 hours a week watching TV and 5.5 hours using the computer or the internet. This compares with an average of 4 hours a week spent on physical activity.
  • Most Aussie blokes are also carrying too much weight, with 70 per cent being overweight or obese. Yet only 11 per cent of men being on a diet for weight loss or other health reasons.
  • It's true that Aussie males like a drink, with almost 9 in 10 having consumed alcohol in the last year. Nearly one in three men (29 per cent) drank more than the recommended two standard drinks per day on average, which was three times the rate for women.
  • Young men are the most likely to exceed the single occasion risk guidelines (drinking more than four drinks on any one occasion), with 75 per cent of those aged 18 - 24 drinking above this level.
  • On a more positive note, many men are taking preventative actions for their health, including 56 per cent who regularly check their skin for changes in freckles or moles and one in four being tested for prostate cancer. However men were still less likely than women to visit the GP or the dentist.

To find out more data, check out our Australian Health Survey results by following this link: https://www.abs.gov.au/australianhealthsurvey

Media notes:
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.