You may be surprised by how many of our clients are men. When I’m attending a networking event and sharing about our Agency, people often assume that most of our clients are women. While it’s true that women do outnumber men - it’s only by a slim margin. We’re much closer to 50%-50% than many would imagine.

In this article I share why men need help with their nutrition. What the barriers are for men to access help with their health. And, why our service method is such a good match for men’s needs.

Note: In this article I use the term “men” to reflect people who self-identify as such. I recognize that gender is a complex concept that includes both social constructs and personal identity that may or may not correlate to sex at birth.

Men Have Unhealthy Habits

According to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation:

“72% of Canadian men have unhealthy habits, putting them at risk for chronic conditions and diseases.”

Since February is heart month, let’s look at heart disease as one example of a chronic condition. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC and Yukon, 9 in 10 people have at least 1 risk factor for heart disease. And, almost 80% of early heart disease and stroke can be prevented by lifestyle factors – such as healthy eating.

While pretty much everyone knows that healthy eating is important, only 1% of Canadians have healthy eating habits. Only 1%! And more women were amongst that 1% than men. So, less than 1% of men have healthy eating habits.

Why Men Don’t Seek Help from Health Professionals

Men are raised in our culture to power through things. Research shows that there are two main barriers to men accessing healthcare:

1. Traditional Male Gender Norms: Men may see the action of seeking help for their health as going against traditional ideas of masculinity. The need for independence and control is a masculinity norm that can present a barrier. Also, admitting that they are experiencing a health problem can feel like weakness. Admitting this vulnerability goes against traditional gender norms.

2. Lack of Convenience: This barrier has aspects that apply to all, no matter where you fall on the gender continuum. And, has an aspect that may be unique to men. Most health professionals aren’t available when you work full-time. Research shows that men often find conventional health services difficult to access due to work schedules. When forced to choose between attending a health appointment or work, research shows that men will pick work because of the traditional male gender role as the financial provider for their family.

Those two barriers have been identified in the research regarding accessing health care. When it comes to nutrition, there is an additional barrier stemming from traditional gender roles. Food and cooking has traditionally been a woman’s responsibility.

So, there are three barriers working against men taking action on their eating habits!

Change Isn’t Equal

In my personal experience, I’m seeing that things are changing. Men are starting to overcome these barriers and seek help for their eating habits. Yay! That’s the excellent news.

The bad news is that it’s not changing across-the-board. In my experience, it’s changing amongst professionals and those in the knowledge economy. What you may call white-collar jobs. Professional men are taking action regarding their health, incorporating healthy eating habits. In my experience it’s changing more slowly amongst the trades, construction, and manufacturing sectors. What you might call the blue-collar workforce. I.e. those sectors that are typically male-dominated.

I even seen this difference within the same company. The owners and management staff have healthy lifestyles. Whereas the on-the-tools workers have unhealthy eating habits.

Why Our Services Meet Men’s Needs

Because of traditional male gender roles, men often don’t want to talk with their friends and co-workers about their bodies and health. Our services are a good match for men’s needs because our services are private. We work one-to-one with you in the comfort of your own home/ office/ vehicle. No group sharing. No being seen in a crowded waiting room where you could be spotted by people who know you.

Also, we have appointments on evenings and weekends in addition to weekdays. So whether you work 9am-5pm, 7am-3pm, 7pm – 7am, etc, we have appointment times that are convenient. You don’t need to choose between taking care of your health or providing for your family.

Next Actions

Are you an employer who wants to help the men on your team overcome barriers to their health and performance? Book a call with me to discuss our workplace one-to-one nutrition counselling packages: Workplace Nutrition https://kristenyarkernutrition.practicebetter.io/#/5f160bb22a9c240758b3e95e/bookings?s=6366d2f48236b867e4a30a65&step=date

Looking for nutrition services for yourself: Book a free information call and I’ll match you with the best-fit dietitian on our team: calendly.com/kristenyarker

Looking to point the men in your life towards a free resource: https://dontchangemuch.ca/ is evidence-based and good.

Photo by Christopher Burns on Unsplash