A third of UK men are so overweight they are unable to see their genitals due to a protruding midriff, so medics are encouraging men to make one potentially lifesaving resolution and weigh up their health risks.  

The worrying new research says that 33% of men in Britain aged between 35 and 60 years are unable to see their penis when standing upright and looking downwards, due to a giant belly; that increases to 44% in men aged 51-60 years. These figures highlight that more than 5.6 million men in Britain are potentially dangerously overweight, are at risk of reducing their lifespan by 9 years and of suffering from a life-threatening, weight-related illness such as stroke, diabetes and heart disease. 

The BIG check:

In light of the new findings, and with men renowned for ignoring matters to do with their health, a new men's health resource, WeLoveOurHealth.co.uk,  is launching the 'Big Check' Campaign. The initiative hopes to encourage men to make one simple, yet potentially lifesaving health check - by asking "Can you see your penis?" Dependent on the results, the site's Health Risk Calculator will highlight areas of concern and will offer advice, support and suggestions to improve lifestyle and overall health.  The site was developed by three women; Daryl Taylor, Rhona Pearson and Anna Woolf. See, British men?  British women care about you.

The site is membership-fee driven and provides access to a range of health tests, reports and health advice from medical experts, and 24/7 access to an online GP and comprehensive healthcare library. Can't they get all that from the NHS for free?  Apparently not.

 A&E specialist and WeLoveOurHealth.co.uk's online doctor, Dr. Johan du Plessis, comments, "This new research is really worrying and men must be encouraged to wake up to the potential life threatening risks of being overweight and to make this vital check. An obese man who can't see his penis is five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, three times more likely to develop cancer of the colon and more than two and a half times more likely to develop high blood pressure - a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease." 

References:

One Poll Survey on behalf of We Love Our Health among 1,000 men. May 2012.