Men’s health: Watch your weight, help your heart health
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States.
Try these tips to lower your risk of heart disease:
- Don’t smoke. Avoid secondhand smoke.
- Keep your blood pressure below 120/80. Get it checked every two years.
- Watch your cholesterol. An LDL (“bad” cholesterol) score less than 130 is best. Get your blood cholesterol checked every five years— more often if your doctor says so.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes most days of the week. You can do just 10 minutes at a time, if you want. (Exercise an hour a day if you need to lose weight.)
- Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
- Eat less fat. Only about one-third of your daily calories should come from fat.
- Ask your doctor about taking low-dose aspirin daily after age 45.
- Learn how to manage stress.
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Prevent diabetes. If you already have diabetes, ask your doctor how to control it.
Healthy Weights for Men
| Height |
Weight
(in pounds) |
5' 3" |
140 or less |
5' 4" |
144 or less |
5' 5" |
149 or less |
5' 6" |
154 or less |
5' 7" |
158 or less |
5' 8" |
163 or less |
5' 9" |
168 or less |
5' 10" |
173 or less |
5' 11" |
178 or less |
6' |
183 or less |
6' 1" |
188 or less |
6' 2" |
193 or less |
6' 3" |
199 or less |
6' 4" |
204 or less |
Source: American Heart Association
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