UNLESS TARGETED programmes are instituted, men in Barbados will continue to ignore their health.
Social psychologist Anderson Langdon said there were no hard and fast solutions but it was up to male leaders to stand up and lead by example.
“Leaders are made, whether by self or circumstance and these leaders realise the most important tools are the mind, body and soul so therefore what is clear is that these leaders take care of their health,” he said.
Langdon, a research officer with the Barbados Family Planning Association, said non-communicable diseases remained the top causes of death among men. He was speaking today at a two day men’s health workshop at the Dayrells Road, St Michael offices of the Pan American Health Organisation and World Health Organisation.
The workshop was entitled Building Men for Successful Leadership Roles in Barbados and Langdon said it was timely in light of the need of targeted programmes.
PAHO/WHO representative Dr Godfrey Xuereb also called for older men to set an example.
“We have to try and be promoters of physical activity and set examples for our male children because we see boys as being active up to age six then as soon as they get to the eleven plus it drops to nothing as we parents push them into academics,” he said. (CA)
