Carrying a weight around your middle? Stress levels higher than normal?  Are you in danger of a heart attack?

Too often men delay in seeking health advice or getting to hospital – they don’t want to cause a fuss or they waste vital time calling friends or family first – which can prove fatal.

But the harsh truth is that many of Ireland’s men over 45 are at risk of developing heart disease leading to a heart attack.

Combined with rising levels of obesity, diabetes and smoking, many Irish men are a ticking time bomb.

• Men are nearly three times more likely than women to die prematurely from cardiovascular disease.
• 42% of men aged between 51 and 64 are now obese and a further 44% are overweight.
• Inactivity is a major risk for heart attack and stroke. Men typically spend 40 minutes longer sitting down in comparison to women.
• One in five men (21%) are currently smokers, significantly increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Alarmingly, one in every two smokers will die of a tobacco-related disease.
• Men are more likely to be dependent on alcohol, and alcohol-related injury and mortality rates are greater among men. 36% of adult men drink alcohol regularly compared to 27% of adult females.
• Blood pressure is higher in men (69%) compared with women (59%). Two in three men in the construction industry alone have high blood pressure.
• A fifth of men eat the minimum recommended guideline of five portions of fruitand vegetables daily.
• Intake of cholesterol is higher in men. 78% of men aged 45+ have high cholesterol.

The good news, however, is that it is possible to take charge of your health

This International Men’s Health Week, we urge all men to think about “What is your picture of health?” and to follow our positive steps for a healthier heart that will help to minimise the risks of heart disease and stroke: