Because the drop in testosterone averages just 1% a year, most older men retain normal levels. Testosterone levels surge at puberty and peak in early adulthood, and then after a few years of stability, the hormone begins a slow drift downward in early middle age. After being converted to dihydrotestosterone, the hormone also spurs growth of the prostate, which is a much less welcome sign of manhood for older gents. As such, it's responsible for the deep voice, large muscles, and strong bones that characterize our gender, for development of the male reproductive organs, for sperm production and libido, and for the typical male pattern of beard growth. So to find out if you are at risk, simply measure your waist at your navel for men, risk begins to rise at waist circumferences above 37.5 inches, and troubles mount over 40 inches. Scientists know that while no excess body fat is good, abdominal fat is the most harmful variety. But the BMI doesn't tell you how your fat is distributed. A BMI between 25 and 30 puts you in the overweight category, while a reading of 30 or more says you're obese. The BMI gives a reasonable estimate of overall body fat. Or, if you're like most of us, you can skip the math and use an online calculator. You can calculate your BMI by multiplying your weight in pounds by 703 and then dividing by your height in inches squared or by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. Am I overweight?Ī look in the mirror can give you a clue, but to find out if your weight puts you at risk for genitourinary disorders, you need a more precise assessment.Īt present, the gold standard is the body mass index, or BMI. But you may be surprised to learn that men bear a particular burden, since obesity takes a special toll on male hormones, sexuality, and prostate health.

Obesity affects men and women about equally. All in all, obesity is a killer in fact, obesity and lack of exercise are responsible for about 1,000 American deaths each day, and if present trends continue, they will soon overtake smoking as the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S. But obesity does more than produce bad numbers: it also leads to bad health, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, gallstones, cancer, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, fatty liver, and depression. Obesity impairs the body's responsiveness to insulin, raising blood sugar and insulin levels. Excess body fat raises levels of LDL ('bad') cholesterol and triglycerides while also lowering HDL ('good') cholesterol levels. At present, two-thirds of all Americans need to lose weight, and the number of overweight children and adults is growing at an alarming rate.Īnd it's no secret that obesity is bad for health. It's no secret that overweight and obesity are big problems in the United States.

Exces de estrogen