The data were collected from 564 male and female students who enrolled in the Tufts Longitudinal Health Study (TLHS), which tracked health and health-related behaviors in college students at Tufts University between 1998 and 2007. For the present study, the authors tracked four biomarkers of metabolic risk (high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides and blood glucose levels) in relation to body fat and physical fitness.

Researchers deemed body fat percentage above 23% in women and above 19% in men as higher than desirable and measured fitness based on performance on a 3-minute step test.

“Although cardiovascular disease and diabetes often surface much later in life, our results tell us that men and women in late adolescence and early adulthood are already showing chronic disease risk, but that keeping fit may help reduce this risk,” says senior author Jennifer M. Sacheck, PhD, assistant professor at the Friedman School. “Certain metabolic risk factors were closer to recommended levels in both male and female students whom we classified as fit, even if their body fat percentages were higher than desirable.”

Physical fitness appeared to have a greater impact on certain metabolic risk factors than body fat. Being fit correlated with lower triglycerides and higher HDL, the healthy cholesterol, in women and lower blood glucose levels in men. The results are published in the June issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

“We saw a stronger correlation between fitness and reduced metabolic risk in women, which may be due to the small number of men who enrolled in our study. At the same time, we also recognize this study enrolled an unusually healthy population of college students,” Sacheck says. “Most of the participants had healthier body fat percentages than the average 18 or 19 year-old, yet nearly 25% demonstrated low levels of HDL, one-third demonstrated elevated LDL cholesterol levels, and 11% had high triglycerides, indicating it’s not premature to work on reducing chronic disease risk as a college student.”

Sacheck adds that future research might also examine the impact of students’ diets on metabolic risk. “Many students change their diets drastically when they enter college. Endless food choices in the cafeteria, late-night food deliveries, and alcohol consumption can result in significant weight gain,” she says. “Optimally, students should strive to eat well and keep fit. If a student’s body fat percentage is higher than desirable, our results suggest exercise may be an important step in improving their health and reducing their risk of developing cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes later in life. Even walking to class instead of taking the campus shuttle bus is a start.”

The authors received funding for this study from Tufts University and the Rosenberg Foundation.

Sacheck, JM; Kuder, JF; Economos, CD. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. June 2010. 42 (6). 1039-1044. “Physical Firness, Adiposity, and Metabolic Risk Factors in Young College Students.”

Source: Andrea Grossman, Tufts University, Health Sciences via EurekAlert

It is a known fact that we all need a healthy diet and plenty of exercise to maintain good cardio health. When it comes to our exercise routine though, choosing the right workout for your health needs is important. Incorporating cardiovascular exercise into your exercise routine is vital for maintaining a healthy heart and lungs as well as an allover general physical and mental well being.

Many people choose walking as their way of getting the cardio exercise they need. Walking on a regular basis is essential for getting that cardio workout in. However, there are many things that keep people from walking on a consistent basis. The weather is the top reason that holds people back. Most people will not walk when it is raining or snowing out. Also, extremely cold (and hot) temperatures are actually not healthy to walk in as it can affect your body in unpleasant ways.

Another thing that keeps people from walking is living in a dangerous neighborhood. Nowadays, in some cases it is just not safe to go out alone for a walk. There is always the chance of being mugged, jumped, raped or worse, killed. This does sound harsh, but it is an unfortunate fact in today’s times.

The benefits of the fitness treadmills

When walking outdoors is just not an option, you can still achieve proper cardio health by using a treadmill. You can use the treadmill in the comfort of your own home without having to worry about the everyday problems of walking outdoors. Other benefits of treadmills are as follows:

1. Treadmill belts are padded which alleviates strain on muscles and joints.

2. Treadmills have a visual display that will allow you to see your progress. You can keep track of how many miles you have walked, how many calories you have burned and adjust the speed and incline to increase your heart rate.

3. There is no longer a need to entertain fad diets or weight loss programs. Using the fitness treadmill will help you to lose weight at a safe rate and keep the weight off, whereas your weight will come right back once stopping any of the fad diets on the market today.

4. You can position your treadmill in front of the TV so you have the ability to watch your favorite programs while walking. This makes using the treadmill more pleasurable. It also helps the time pass, so you will work out longer than without the distraction of the TV.

5. Treadmills allow you to stay in your own home and get your cardio workout rather than leaving to go out for a walk or go to the gym.

These are just a few of the many benefits to owning a treadmill to get your cardio workout. It is a proven fact that treadmills help maintain optimal cardio health. No longer will you have to leave the comfort of your home to get in your cardio exercise. All you need to do is just step onto your treadmill and start walking.

Source: Michael Lee Joshua

As we grow older, it is common tendency that we lose our body balance and also that in certain medical conditions, we lose our body balance. This may result in falling (resulting in fractures), or difficulty in walking. Balancing exercises are perfect solution for such situations.

Balancing Exercises

Let us see some balancing exercises

• Stand on one of your feet and count up to 8. Repeat it for 8 to 10 times. Now do it with another foot. When you that you are pretty stable, stretch your raised leg forward and point your toe. Repeat the same with another foot.
• Raise your arms and walk heel to toe for at least six steps in each direction.
• Another good balancing is raising your leg sideways. Stand straight (take the support of chair by holding it in case, if you are unable to stand stable) and raise one of your leg up to 10 inches and count 8. Do it for 8 to 10 times. Now repeat it with second leg.
• Take a walk in straight path with one foot in front of the other. While taking each step, lift your back foot and hold it for a second before continuing your walk. Walk at least 20 steps and then reverse.

Balancing Exercises for Elderly People

For strengthening your hip muscles: With the help of a chair or table stand straight and raise one of your legs upwards. Hold your leg for a second and then slowly lower it to normal position. Rest for 5 seconds and repeat the same with second leg. Repeat it for 8 to 10 times with altering legs. Make sure to keep your back straight while doing the exercise. When you get habituated with this exercise add weights to weights to your ankles for increasing resistance.

For strengthening your thigh muscles: With the help of a chair or table stand straight and raise one of your legs sideways up to 6 to 10 inches, keeping your straight and your toes pointed forwards. Hold your leg for 10 seconds and then slowly lower it to normal position. Rest for 5 seconds and repeat the same with second leg. Repeat it for 8 to 10 times with altering legs.

For strengthening your ankles: With the help of a chair or table stand straight and raise yourself slowly on your toe tips, rising as high as possible. Hold in this position for 5 seconds and then slowly lowering yourself normal position. Take a rest of 5 seconds and repeat it for another 8 to 10 times.

Each of the experiments was controlled randomized studies where the soccer groups were compared to other exercise groups and inactive controls. The soccer experiments are part of a large-scale research project on soccer and health carried out at the University of Copenhagen, four Danish University Hospitals, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the Schulthess Clinic in Zurich.

Project Leader and Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen Peter Krustrup recaps the results: “Our research shows that soccer is a versatile and intense form of exercise that provides a positive effect on cardiovascular risk factors in a large group of untrained adult men and women,” and continues: “Based on the results, soccer can be recommended as part of the treatment for high blood pressure and as broad-spectred prevention of cardiovascular diseases.”

Small games, big gains

When untrained children, teens, adults and older people play soccer, their pulse rate remains high and they perform multiple intense actions like sprints, turns, kicks and tackles.

“Our analyses also showed that the pulse rate and activity profile is the same in small-sided games where only 4, 6, 8 or 14 people play. In other words, it is very easy to obtain a combination of cardio and strength training with soccer,” concludes Krustrup

Research partner Lars Juel Andersen from the Clinic of Sport Cardiology at Gentofte Hospital, Denmark, believes that the results are good news for the millions of people worldwide, suffering from high blood pressure: “It is well known that physical inactivity is a substantial risk factor in developing cardiovascular diseases in itself, but it is new that a pleasurable team sport like soccer is effective in treating high blood pressure”. Furthermore, associate professor Peter Riis Hansen from Gentofte Hospital suggests that football may have other favourable effects on the vascular system, namely a reduction of arterial stiffness, which has been associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes.

About the project

Led by Professors Peter Krustrup and Jens Bangsbo from Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 50 researchers from seven countries have studied the physical, psychological and social aspects of soccer and the results are remarkable. A number of scientific articles from the project are published on 2 February 2010 at a seminar at the University of Copenhagen and later this month the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports will publish a special edition issue entitled “Football for Health” containing 14 scientific articles from the soccer project. The research project has received funding from FIFA – Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC), The Danish Ministry of Culture, TrygFonden, United Federation of Danish Workers (3F), The Danish Football Association, Team Denmark and The Danish Sports Confederation.

Further research plans:

The researchers have specific plans to examine the effect of soccer on other patient groups such as people with diabetes II and cancer. The research group is also planning a follow-up study of the long-term effects of soccer on high blood pressure and preliminary stages of osteoporosis. A planned collaboration with an international network of researchers from, among others, England, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, USA, Kenya and Iran will examine the cardiovascular and muscular-skeletal effects of soccer and other ball games such as basketball, handball, volleyball and floorball on inactive and overweight children and inactive elderly people.

Source: Peter Krustrup, University of Copenhagen

After the warmup (No. 1), do one rep of exercise pair No. 2, then two reps, then three, then four, and then work back down to one rep. Repeat with exercise pair No. 3. Do as many rounds as you can in 15 minutes.

Boxer’s Punch + Dumbbell Squat

With a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, throw 32 punches, alternating lefts and rights. Then let your arms hang loosely at your sides and place your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Bend at the hips and knees to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, and then press back up. Complete 16 squats. Repeat the sequence once.

Push-Up + Prone Row

Push-up: Place two six-sided dumbbells on the floor and grip them while you do a full push-up. (Lower in two seconds, push up in one.)

Prone row: In the up position of the push-up (still holding onto the dumbbells), bring your right-hand weight up to your armpit and squeeze your shoulder blade back. Lower the weight and repeat the move with your left arm. (Take one second to raise the weight and two seconds to lower it.)

Jump Squat + Curl

Jump squat: Assume a squat position as you hold dumbbells at your sides, your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Press through your heels to explode up quickly. Then land softly on the balls of your feet and sink back onto your heels.

Curl: After landing, let the dumbbells hang at your sides. Without moving your upper arms, curl the weights up. (Take one second to raise them and two seconds to lower.)

Source: Men’sHealth Magazine

This is not the case at all.

There are a number of exercises you can perform that will recruit all of the muscle fibers deep within the tissue without requiring any type of crunching action.

Below are six such exercises that are guaranteed to get you the results you’re looking for, provided they’re incorporated into a well-rounded program that works all of the major muscle groups in the body.

The Renegade Row

The renegade row demands good balance and coordination, because if you don’t contract your abdominal muscles you’re going to fall over.

To perform it, position yourself so your legs are straight out behind you while you’re balancing your upper body with your hands, each on a dumbbell that are placed shoulder-width apart on the floor under the shoulders.

Once in this position, transfer your weight to one side and proceed to lift the arm up to perform a one-arm row.

After completing this, either move on to a second rep on the same side or switch over to the other side and alternate between reps in that manner.

Raised-leg single-leg squat

Even if you have incredibly strong quads, this single-leg squat will still challenge your abdominal core.

To perform it, stand so that you’re balancing on one leg with the other leg raised out as high into the air as possible, directly in front of you.

Next, begin to squat down on the standing leg, maintaining balance the entire time. Go down as low as you can possibly go, and then rise back up to the starting position.

After finishing 10 reps on one side, switch legs and repeat.

Side leg raises

This third no-crunch exercise for 6-pack abs also tests your balancing abilities while focusing on the obliques.

To start, move into a plank. From there, lift the hand and leg of one side of the body off the floor and rotate until you’re now in a sideways position.

Once you’ve found your balance, proceed to lift the leg closest to the ceiling up and down performing side leg lifts. To increase the challenge, bring the leg forward and back as well; however, be absolutely sure you maintain the straight spinal column position.

Cable woodchoppers

This exercise works double-time to strengthen the abdominal core and work the shoulder muscles. First, stand sideways to a cable machine with a low-cable pulley attachment by your feet.

Bend over using a slight bend in the knees and reach for the handle. From there, straighten your body back up while twisting in the opposite direction until you are holding the handle across your body and above your head in the opposite direction.

Pause for a brief moment and then lower back down to the starting position to complete the rep. Aim for 10 reps on each side.

Lunge with ball pass-off

This no-crunch ab exercise is best to do with a partner so they can follow right behind you to control the position of the ball.

Begin by performing a standard lunge while holding a medicine ball. As you lower down to the ground, you want to twist to the side so you are able to hand the ball off to your partner behind you.

From that point, twist back to the front and continue with the lunging motion until you get to the bottom portion of the second lunge. Have your partner pass you the ball on your other side.

Try for 10 reps on each side before taking a 30 to 60 second rest and performing the 6-pack ab exercise again.

Stability ball jack-knife

Finally, the sixth no-crunch ab exercise, a high intensity one, is a stability ball jack-knife.

To perform this, place your elbows on a bench while your legs are behind you on top of an exercise ball, with your stomach facing the floor.

From there, lift one leg off the exercise ball and raise it out to the side of your body, then curl the ball into your chest with the leg still on top of it. Once the ball is as far as it can go, extend it straight out behind you again.

Source: Jeff Bayer, AskMen

If your buddy were to tell you that he just completed a circuit training program that left him near death, what would be the next thought going through your head?

“I wonder what’s next… the step class?” Or possibly, “And that yoga looks pretty intense too.”

Many people simply don’t realize what circuit training is and that it can be beneficial for everyone. They simply chalk it up to something people who want a general workout routine do, and don’t give it a second thought.

What Is Circuit Training?

The purpose of circuit training is to keep you moving by only allowing you to take minimal breaks between exercises. If you absolutely must rest, you can take 10 seconds to walk around and then start again. Whatever you do, don’t stop moving.

This workout is different from other programs you may have followed. For example, it differs from supersets or compound sets, which target one or two specific muscles and work with the fatigue factor of those particular muscles to increase the intensity of your workout. Circuit training, on the other hand, works because it causes you to keep pushing your body aerobically, while still challenging your strength.

The Common Misconception

If you’re like many men, you probably think that circuit training is something a woman does with measly five-pound dumbbells. This is probably because you associate no rest periods with light weights, and if you are trying to increase your strength, you likely think you need to be lifting as much weight as possible.

However, muscle responds to the total tension produced. If you use lighter weights, but are able to get in more sets during a certain period of time, you will produce the same — if not more — total tension and will stimulate your muscles to grow.

Try the follow program; you’ll see, it will give you a run for your money.

The Benefits

First, it allows you to work your aerobic system while simultaneously working on your strength. Since you are constantly progressing through the workout, you will keep your heart rate up, therefore reaping the same benefits as the guy who mindlessly logs all those miles on the treadmill. You, however, will be constantly stimulating your mind, which will help keep boredom at bay.

Second, due to fewer rest periods, you will increase the amount of testosterone you release, which serves to help your muscles grow. While it is true that if you were to perform long aerobic sessions, your testosterone level would drop and you would start to release cortisol (which causes the body to break down muscle tissue), this workout won’t take that long to complete. Therefore, you won’t reach the time required to start this cortisol-releasing process.

Finally, since you will move through this workout quickly, you won’t have to spend long hours in the gym, and you will be able to spend your time doing the things that you never seemed to have time for when you were making the gym your second home.

The Sample Workout

This circuit, titled the monster circuit, consists of six different exercises to be performed a total of six times. Perform 10 reps of each exercise before moving on to the next one. Once you have completed all six exercises, start the sequence over again.

Over time, you can gradually increase your number of reps to 20 per exercise; however, this is intense, so start slowly.

The first exercise is called chinnies. Lie flat on the floor with your arms by your sides. Bring your knees toward your chest while simultaneously raising your chest to meet your knees (picture an accordion action).

The second is simple pushups. Remember to keep your hands approximately at chest level in order to target the proper muscles. The best place to perform pushups is on a sturdy surface where your feet have a firm grip on the ground.

Next are squats. You don’t need to use any weights; just cross your arms and hold them out parallel to the floor. Squat down as low as you can go, preferably lower than 90 degrees, assuming you have no knee problems (if you do suffer from knee injuries or pain, only go as low as you feel comfortable with).

The fourth exercise is jackknives. These are similar to chinnies, only this time, keep your legs straight, raise your legs and arms straight into the air (bending at the waist) and try to get your hands to touch your feet.

Next are running As. Run on the spot and try to kick your knees to your chest. Each time your left leg reaches toward your chest, count one rep.

Finally, finish off with burpies. Start in a standing position, squat down and place your hands on the floor. Kick your legs out behind you, hold for a second, then bring your legs back to your hands. Next, explode off the floor, straightening up at the waist and jumping as high as you can. Land and bring your hands to the floor once again; this is one rep.

After completing all six exercises, start with chinnies once again for the second set of the circuit. After you have finished all six sets, you can rest; that is, if you managed to make it that far.

A Final Note

Since this workout does not target all of the muscles in your body, it is still best to include a normal strength-training routine in your program. This will keep your body balanced and ensure you are still strengthening all the muscle groups.

However, this circuit is a great thing to include in your workout when you are feeling like you are reaching a plateau or you’re just ready to try something new to kick-start your metabolism and kick your workout up a notch.

Since it is quite intense, only perform it once or twice a week and be sure to take at least one day off in between. To progress and keep stimulating your body, try incorporating different versions of each exercise, such as one-hand pushups or clap pushups, and turned-out squats or squat jumps.

Hopefully, by set five of this program, you will have a newfound respect for circuit training.

Exercise programs designed to increase muscle density in the elderly could help reduce rates of disability and hospitalization, new research suggests.

The contention stems from a study of 3,011 healthy U.S. residents, aged 70 to 80. During about a five-year span, more than 55 percent of them were hospitalized at least once. People most likely to be hospitalized were those who scored lowest on measures of physical function, such as walking speed, ability to stand up from a chair repeatedly, grip strength and leg strength.

The researchers also found that people with the least dense thigh muscles — meaning more fat than lean tissue — were more likely to be hospitalized than those with more dense thigh muscles.

The study is published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

“Our research suggests that we need to re-think the way we define sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss,” study author Peggy Cawthon, a scientist with the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, said in a news release from the American Geriatrics Society. “Many definitions of sarcopenia today tend to focus on lean mass or muscle size. Our study shows that is looking at the wrong factors. We found that muscle strength or performance were much better ways of measuring function.”

The findings “suggest that interventions, such as physical exercise, that improve physical function could help keep more vulnerable seniors out of the hospital,” she said. “That would not only reduce disability but it would also reduce the huge economic burden associated with hospitalization of the elderly.”

One in five Americans older than 65 has sarcopenia. In 2000, the direct costs of treating the condition were more than $18.5 billion, according to background information in the news release.

Frequent long, slow walks — 45 minutes to 60 minutes a day at a moderate pace, five to six days a week — were found to burn more calories, improve cardiac function, reduce weight and body fat. The standard regimen for cardiac rehabilitation involves walking, biking or rowing for 25 minutes to 40 minutes at brisk pace three times a week.

“The benefits of weight loss in cardiac patients have not been all that clear,” said Dr. Philip A. Ades, a professor of medicine and director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and the study’s lead researcher. “And docs are usually pessimistic that their patients can accomplish weight loss.”

In fact, most cardiac rehabilitation programs have not been effective in weight loss, Ades said.

“The reason people don’t lose weight in cardiac rehab is they don’t burn enough calories with their exercise,” he said.

Walking can burn more calories than biking or swimming, Ades explained, because walkers support their total body weight by themselves, rather than having a bike or water support their weight. People have to bike or swim a lot more, he said, to gain the same calorie-burning effect as walking.

The report is published in the May 11 online edition of Circulation.

The study involved 74 overweight people with coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, who were enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program. They were randomly assigned to an exercise regimen designed to burn 3,000 to 3,500 calories a week or to a standard rehab exercise program designed to burn 700 to 800 calories a week.

The high-calorie expenditure program was based on exercise that was not more intensive than standard rehabilitation but was done more often (five to seven times a week, rather than three) and longer (45 minutes to 60 minutes a session, rather than 25 to 40), according to the study. Participants did not begin walking for an hour each session but gradually built up their ability, Ades said.

Exercise for the standard rehabilitation group included a combination of walking and biking or rowing.

Being overweight increases the risk of heart attacks and increases other risks factors, including cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, the researchers noted.

After five months, people in the high-calorie-burning group — those taking the longer, slower, more frequent walks — had greater improvement in insulin sensitivity, cholesterol, blood pressure and cardio and respiratory fitness than did people in the standard exercise group, the researchers found.

In addition, the long, slow walkers lost an average of 18 pounds, compared with 8 pounds among those in the standard rehabilitation group, and they lost more body fat (13 pounds versus 6) and inches from their waistlines (2.7 versus 2 inches) than the others.

A year after the study ended, people in the high-calorie-burning group had regained an average of 2.9 pounds and those in the standard treatment group had regained about two pounds. Weight and body fat remained lower in both groups than it had been when they started, the researchers said.

“However you lose weight is good for heart patients and should reduce their risk,” Ades said. “But don’t forget the exercise. It’s a big part of how to lose weight. Walking daily, walking far, really made a big difference in reducing cardiac risk.”

Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a cardiology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said he thinks the regimen from the study would be worth trying in people in cardiac rehabilitation programs.

“There is an ever-increasing proportion of individuals who are overweight or obese,” Fonarow said. “Achieving a healthy body weight is a challenge, even among patients who are referred to formal cardiac rehabilitation programs.”

The study demonstrated that a new exercise protocol aimed at maximizing exercise-related calorie expenditures was more effective in achieving weight loss than a standard cardiac rehabilitation exercise regimen, Fonarow said. “There was also improved insulin sensitivity, lipid levels and inflammatory markers with the high-calorie expenditure regimen,” he said.

“This new high-calorie expenditure protocol should be considered for overweight and obese patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation who are eligible for a five-to-six-times-a-week exercise regimen,” he said.

Men are worried that drinking too much alcohol will give them a beer belly or man boobs according to a new survey for the Know Your Limits campaign published today.

Released during Men’s Health Week, the statistics show that watching the waistline is no longer only the preserve of women, with more than one in three men (37%) claiming they would reduce their drinking to cut down on the number of calories they consume. Only money-saving (44%) is a bigger incentive.

The YouGov survey of almost 1,000 male drinkers over 18 in England revealed:

- One in six men (17%) are worried their drinking will lead to man boobs
- One in four (27%) are worried about getting a beer belly
- More than one in eight (13%) think their boozing is affecting their appearance
- Nearly one in ten (9%) worry that excessive drinking is affecting their sexual performance

The NHS recommends men do not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day – equivalent to less than two pints of normal strength beer. According to the Office of National Statistics, an estimated 6.3 million men in England regularly drink above these limits*.

The YouGov survey revealed more than one in three men (36%) are worried booze is risking their long-term health, and more than one in five (22%) already feel it is affecting their general health and wellbeing.

But awareness of the specific health risks is generally worse among men than women. While most men (73%) were aware of the increased risk of liver disease associated with drinking above the recommended limits, 83% didn’t know about the link with mouth cancer, 84% were equally unaware of the risk of throat cancer, and two-thirds (66%) were blind to the increased risk of stroke.

Encouragingly, when told about these risks, more than a quarter (28%) said it made them keener to cut down.

Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron said:

“Our survey shows that more and more men are worried about alcohol ruining their looks. It is encouraging that they are also thinking about their health. Men who drink too much are at risk of conditions such as liver disease and stroke, as well as getting out of shape.

“Unfortunately, the longer-term effect drinking too much can have on your health is harder to spot until it’s too late.

“Our Know Your Limits campaign arms people with the facts about how many units are in their favourite drinks, to help them keep a check on how much they drink each day.”

Dr Ian Banks, President of the Men’s Health Forum, is backing the Government’s Know Your Limits campaign.

He said: “It’s clear men are more concerned about the impact of their drinking on their bodies than we might imagine. Many of us only begin to see the visual evidence of our drinking habits as we get older and start to carry excess baggage, but excessive drinking can also take its toll beneath the skin.

“Most of us enjoy a drink from time to time, and that’s fine. But more men ought to be aware that drinking a couple of pints of beer or sharing a bottle of wine most days of the week can push them over the recommended limits, increasing their risk of liver disease, cancer, heart disease and stroke.”

Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of the DrinkAware Trust said: “Men are clearly worried about how alcohol affects their looks so Men’s Health Week is an ideal opportunity to get back into shape and start calculating alcohol calories on Drinkaware’s website.

“Whether it’s drinking with friends in the pub or relaxing at home, it’s crucial men keep track of units to avoid their looks deteriorating and serious health problems including liver and heart disease, cancer, and reduced fertility. Sticking to the recommended daily unit guidelines, taking 48 hours off after a heavy session and doing regular exercise will also help men keep the beer belly – and major illnesses – at bay.”

In 2007/08, there were more than 863,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions, an increase of 69% since 2002/03. Of these, 62% were for men.

Fewer than a third of men (31%) in the YouGov survey reported keeping track of their units. But a drinks calculator at http://www.nhs.uk/units does the maths for you, helping drinkers stick within their limits.

Source: Department of Health, UK