Credits: Social Media
Men who are more masculine are putting their ‘hearts and bodies at risk’
Are you a manly man a picture of masculine health? Well, having what society perceives as an ideal male physique might not be very good for your health, after all.
Generally speaking, being strong is good for your physical health. Having weak muscles has been associated with greater overall mortality risk. But bulking up to fit a particular aesthetic �the stereotype of male gender expressivity, in this case �by, for example, lifting solely heavy weights and ignoring cardiovascular health, may be detrimental but in ways men dont often foresee.�
Men who bulk up in a particularly male way are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease
Pressure to look manly �to convey what a particular set of researchers call male gender identity comes from every angle: movies, magazines, social media, and even members of the political class.�
Even if we dont agree with the idea itself, we can all agree that Western culture puts certain physiques on a pedestal. It idealizes them. This goes for women as well as men.
The ideal male physique is muscular. It has definition. It has visible ab muscles and bulky pectorals, high cheekbones, broad shoulders, etc.�
Generally speaking, this image of gendered perfection is associated with good health: if youre toned and muscular, youre likely to be considered more healthy than someone with visible belly fat and poor muscle definition.
But those who conveyed their male gender identity particularly strongly as teenagers were actually at greater risk from various heart disease and blood pressure-related outcomes, according to an investigation by a group of scientists based predominantly in Illinois.
Isnt working out supposed to be good for your health?
Well, yes, and many forms of working out are.
The issue in this particular case appears to be that people who strove to have particularly manly figures during adolescence were less likely to appreciate their vulnerabilities. They disadvantaged themselves by not getting checked for things like high blood pressure and diabetes, or not following through on treatment programs.
Study participants who expressed their male gender identity more during adolescence were less likely to report hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia, and diabetes treatment.�
They were less likely to be diagnosed with or treated for hypertension and diabetes.�
The researchers therefore concluded that sociocultural pressures to convey male gender to look super manly could be linked to worse heart health outcomes through decreased risk diagnosis and treatment.
As a result, they add that these groups may bear distinctive risks and would benefit from better public health efforts to prevent adolescents from growing into adults who develop cardiovascular disease.
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