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Most Men Think They’re Healthier Than Most Men
News Brief: Impossibly optimistic about their health, some guys take better care of their dogs
If guys do one thing really well it’s to overestimate their abilities. Or their importance. Or… well, you name it. They tend to overestimate their health status, too — to the point of statistical impossibility and at their own peril.
A new survey finds 65% of U.S. men think they are naturally healthier than other men, an unwarranted confidence that can affect whether they get regular checkups.
“It is statistically impossible for the majority of men to be healthier than the majority of men,” said Thomas Kelley, MD, family medicine specialist at Orlando Health Physician Associates. “Even if you think you’re healthy and you’re not experiencing any symptoms, there can be developing issues that often go unnoticed and can also be life-threatening if left unchecked. Some of those include rising blood pressure that can be a ticking time bomb for a heart attack or stroke, as well as colon cancer, which is one of the most deadly yet preventable cancers that exist.”
The survey of 893 men 18 and older, conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of Orlando Health, revealed a pair of other interesting idiocies:
