Men over 50 are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis-related fractures than they are of prostate cancer, writes Dr Bhatti.

Men are increasingly beginning to realise that they actually feel better when eating a diet that provides them with all the nutrients the body needs. It helps them to focus more productively on work, it will maintain or reduce weight, increase energy and reduce mood swings and help with better performance in sports and every area of life. Eating well will also dramatically reduce the chances of getting some of the chronic diseases that affect men at a higher rate than women.

Diet, exercise, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol intake affect health considerable and increase the risk of developing certain disease in later life such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and several types of cancer. Men are at risk of having heart disease more than women, until women reach the age of menopause and then it equals out. Factors that contribute to heart disease are high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, stress, obesity, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, increasing age and a family history of early onset of heart disease. As seen by the list, it is possible to help reduce some of the factors that may contribute to heart disease by taking care of health, exercising, reducing consumption of alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine and introducing a more healthy lifestyle

The payoff of eating well and exercising regularly will dramatically effect how you look and feel and will have a huge effect on the quality of life experienced both now and, more importantly, later in life when you will have little or no control over your own health. Of the ten leading causes of death and disease, four are associated directly with diet, i.e. heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Another three are associated with excessive alcohol use, i.e. accidents and injuries, suicide and homicide.

Good general recommendations for men include reducing consumption of saturated fat (found in animal products such as meat, higher fat dairy products, butter, and eggs), trans-fatty acids (found in liquid oils that have been chemically hardened, such as margarine and most commercial cookies and baked products), cholesterol (high in shellfish, egg yolks, and organ meats) and sodium (salt) in your diet. Make sure there is enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet and, to ensure a good balance of vitamins and essential minerals, regularly take a multi mineral/vitamin supplement.