A quarter of men say staying active makes them feel happy. Body image remains a key motivator for about one in five men. About one in seven men worry about their physical health every day.
New research from Aviva finds that more than half of men (58%) rate their physical health as good or better, with men aged 25-34 rating their physical health the highest (67%).1
The good news is that almost three-quarters (74%) of men say they actively practice a healthy lifestyle. Popular activities include getting out to get some fresh air (25%), drinking enough water (25%), exercising at least twice a week (21%) and eating a balanced diet (19%).
When asked what motivates them, nearly two in five (41%) said it’s to feel healthier, while a third of men (33%) said it’s to help prevent diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Slightly fewer respondents (32%) recognise the long-term benefits of taking care of their health, saying they want to stay healthy as they age.
However, three-fifths (60%) of men worry about their physical health at least once a month, and almost one in seven (13%) of these men say they worry about their physical health every day.
More than three-fifths of men (63%) know that their physical health impacts their mental health, and just under a quarter (24%) say staying active makes them feel happier.
Despite positive movements encouraging people to embrace differences, body image remains a key motivator for leading a healthy lifestyle, especially among younger and middle-aged people.
Just over one in five men (21%) say they want to improve their appearance, and a similar proportion (20%) say they want to lose weight. On average, men check their weight 24 times a year.
Nearly two in seven men (14%) agreed that there is more pressure on men to look good than ever before, and nearly one in five (19%) agreed that men are more likely to joke about their appearance.
When it comes to their health, one in six (16%) feel that their health is poor or very poor, although this proportion is much higher among men aged 16-24 (21%) and those aged 55 and over (23%).
Just over a third of men (34%) say they lead a fairly healthy lifestyle but could do better, with lack of motivation (34%) and fatigue (31%) being the main factors that keep them from being as healthy as they’d like. This isn’t surprising given that less than a quarter (23%) say they get enough sleep most nights. Nearly one in five (18%) feel they have too much stress to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Being more active helps release mood-boosting hormones and has other health benefits, including improved sleep quality, mood, heart health and reduced risk of obesity.
Dr Doug Wright, medical director at Aviva UK Health, said: “Encouragingly, our research shows that many men are prioritizing their health and recognise the positive impact leading an active lifestyle can have on their physical and mental health, not just now but into the future.”
“As the focus on national health continues, it’s good to see so many men taking responsibility for their own health by living a healthy lifestyle.
“But there is still room for improvement: about one in three men say they lack the motivation or are too tired to lead a healthy lifestyle. But being more active can increase ‘feel good’ hormones and have other health benefits, including improving sleep quality, mood and heart health and reducing the risk of obesity.”
Overall, men rated their physical health as follows:
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
Age 55 or older
Above good
53%
67%
66%
58%
52%
average
twenty one%
twenty one%
19%
twenty five%
twenty three%
Poor or very poor
twenty one%
5%
10%
13%
twenty three%
For more information on the study, visit Aviva.co.uk
-end-
References
1. The survey was conducted by Censuswide among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 UK men aged 16+ between 2 May 2024 and 9 May 2024. Censuswide employs members of the Market Research Association based on the ESOMAR principles and is a member of the UK Public Opinion Research Council.
