Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Men
Chapter from the book:
Sarman,
A.
(ed.)
2025.
Current Scientific Studies in Nursing.
Synopsis
A healthy lifestyle is a multidimensional concept that directly affects individuals’ physical, mental, and social health. In the literature, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, interpersonal relationships, spiritual development, and health responsibility are considered fundamental dimensions. According to the World Health Organization, lifestyle accounts for approximately 60% of individual health and quality of life. Compared to women, men face various challenges in adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors and are negatively affected by factors such as stress, sleep problems, physical inactivity, inadequate nutrition, and low utilization of healthcare services. Gender norms and traditional masculine ideals limit men’s help-seeking, emotional expression, and health-protective behaviors, thereby increasing morbidity and mortality risks. Nutrition and physical activity choices influence risks for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancer, while sleep quality and stress management play a decisive role in men’s mentol and reproductive health. Interpersonal relationships and social support enhance men’s psychological well-being, and spirituality facilitates the adoption of healthy behaviors, discourages risky habits, and improves quality of life. To protect and promote men’s health, intervention and educational programs should be designed using a holistic approach that considers gender-specific differences and addresses individual, social, and cultural contexts. Increasing men’s lifestyle awareness will improve individual health outcomes and contribute to public health and the reduction of health inequalities.
