TIP SHEET

Health: Who's The Weaker Sex?

By Karen Springen

Men may earn more than women, run faster and buy more wide-screen TVs. But when it comes to health, they trail the opposite sex in nearly every category. Stroke, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and the six other leading causes of death kill men at a higher rate than they do women. Yet men are half as likely to see a doctor regularly. "They're busy with work, and they always make excuses," says Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham of California, a prostate-cancer survivor who is pushing to open an Office of Men's Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Here are some steps men can take to live longer, healthier lives.

18 to 35. Focus on prevention. See your doctor every two years for routine tests, including blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar screens. Ryan Cooper, 28, saw his dad die of a heart attack at 40 and now visits the physician regularly. After a recent checkup showed his triglycerides (a kind of fat) were twice the normal level, he hit the gym, cut back on burgers and pizza and now has a clean bill of health. Also, perform regular self-exams for testicular cancer, the most common form of cancer among men ages 20 to 35. (See urology.net.)

35 to 50. Pay particular attention to diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. If you have a family history of colon cancer, get a colonoscopy, says Dr. Gary Martin, vice chair of the department of medicine at Northwestern University. And if you have a family history of prostate cancer, you may want to begin prostate screening. (Otherwise, start both at 50.) At 45, talk to your doctor about whether you should take an aspirin a day to help prevent a heart attack or stroke.

50s and 60s. If you have a history of high blood pressure or diabetes, ask about an ultrasound of the carotid arteries in your neck to check for blockages that could lead to a stroke. If you haven't already done so, get a colonoscopy. Have a dermatologist screen you for skin cancer and get your hearing checked every three years (see asha. org).