MHF's latest update on Men's Health Week

The MHF will be highlighting the importance of NHS Health Checks as part of this year's Men's Health Week.

This year's week focuses on heart disease, a health condition that disproportionately affects men. In the UK, 20,850 men die prematurely (before 75 years) from heart disease compared to 7,408 women, especially men in lower income groups. Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death – and premature death – for men in the UK.

MHF CEO Peter Baker says: 'heart disease robs many families of fathers. Men’s Health Week will help men find ways to get healthy and tell them about the signs to watch out for. We hope families and workplaces will also donate or hold fundraising events so that we can build on our successes in tackling men’s health problems.'

NHS Health Checks target adults between the ages of 40 and 74.

Fathers' day

Men’s Health Week, which ends on Father’s Day, is relevant to men and their families as well as health professionals and organisations and provides a great opportunity to remind dads that their health and wellbeing is important for the whole family.

For men and their families the MHF will highlight:

• How children can help their dads stay or get healthy
• How dads can look after their heart health
• The importance of taking part in the NHS Health Check programme.

For health professionals and organisations the MHF will highlight:

• That the NHS Health Checks programme is a good way to get checks done in men but it needs promoting
• The strong link between erection problems and heart disease
• How they can organise fundraising events to help tackle men’s health.