New study shows a significant drop in drinking and smoking among Canadian men
Vancouver, Nov. 14, 2024–New research from the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation shows a positive trend in men’s health. In 2024, 67 percent of men are living unhealthy lifestyles, which is an improvement from 72 percent in 2017. Two substantial areas of decline are alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, while diet, exercise, and sleep habits remained unchanged.
In recognition of International Men’s Day on November 19, CMHF encourages men to take action and learn how an unhealthy lifestyle affects their health risk by completing Men’s Health Check. The free, confidential online tool evaluates health behaviours, family, and medical history to provide a personal risk assessment of eight serious men’s health conditions like heart attack, prostate cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
The 2024 study, conducted by Intensions Consulting, surveyed 2,070 Canadian men aged 19 or older. Key findings include:
- 29% of men classified at risk for Alcohol Use Disorder, down from 39% in 2017
- 12% of men smoke cigarettes, down from 20% in 2017
- Three key markers of men’s health remain unchanged: 61% have an unhealthy diet, 56% are not getting the right amount of sleep, and 50% are not getting enough exercise.
“Reduced alcohol and cigarette consumption means a lower risk of developing serious health conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers,” says Kenton Boston, CMHF President & CEO. “This is a promising shift, and evidence that men are taking control of their health. CMHF provides tools and resources, like Men’s Health Check, to help men change their lifestyle habits, and take the first steps towards living healthier.”
“Since 2017, we’ve seen a significant decline in men with unhealthy lifestyle habits across Canada,” says Nick Black, Intensions Consulting Managing Partner. “The data shows that hundreds of thousands of men are making healthier choices, and we’re excited to monitor these changes as part of the important work of the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation.”
In 10 minutes, Men’s Health Check provides men with their personalized risks of developing a heart attack, type 2 diabetes, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, depression, osteoporosis, low testosterone and erectile dysfunction over the next 10 years. Get started and learn more at: menshealthfoundation.ca.
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About the Study
The Intensions Consulting study was conducted in Canada between March 5 and 10, 2024. The sample was stratified to ensure its composition reflected the underlying distribution of the population as determined by 2021 Census data. The online survey was administered in French and English. A traditional probability sample of comparable size would have produced results considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.