NEW REPORT REVEALS AMERICAN MEN ARE DYING TOO YOUNG

THE MOVEMBER INSTITUTE OF MEN’S HEALTH RELEASES DETAILED REPORT ON THE STATE OF MEN’S HEALTH IN THE U.S.

LOS ANGELES, CA, Oct. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Movember – the world’s largest men’s health charity – released the Real Face of Men’s Health report detailing new findings on the state of men’s health in the U.S. The report reveals that the majority of male deaths in the U.S. happen before age 75, the standard threshold for premature mortality, and explores the many forces driving this trend for men across the nation. With critical data, insights and stories, The Real Face of Men’s Health powerfully captures the challenges that threaten men’s health—underscoring the need for action.

Along with unprecedented analyses of data from public health data repositories, the Movember Institute of Men’s Health worked in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Program for Men’s Health Equity to conduct brand new nationwide surveys of more than 4,000 men and 2,000 informal caregivers for men about their experiences. The combination of these insights - from the stats to the real life stories - offers this report a comprehensive understanding of men’s health challenges, and points the way to tangible, real-world outcomes.

The report’s foremost message is clear: American men are dying too young. This report is one of the first to explore the ripple effects of this crisis not only on men, but also on women, partners, families, communities, and the economy. When men are in good health, everyone in society stands to benefit - and vice versa.

“Movember’s Real Face of Men’s Health report makes clear that men’s health is never just about men—it’s about everyone around them. When more than half of male deaths in the U.S. happen before 75, it means partners grieving too soon, caregivers stretched thin, and families losing stability,” says Tim Gnaneswaran, Movember’s U.S. Director. “The encouraging news is that men are not indifferent: most say caring for their health is a form of strength, and want closer friendships and more preventive care. We need to close the gap between what men believe privately and outdated cultural pressures that tell them to stay silent. Movember is committed to dismantling those barriers, amplifying caregivers’ voices, and scaling proven, community-led solutions so that men live longer, healthier lives—and so their families and communities thrive alongside them.”

The report also finds that most premature deaths and their associated costs are preventable with timely care and early intervention. Yet the problem runs deeper—men’s risk of early death is further shaped by lived realities influenced by race, class, sexuality, geography, disability, and age.

Additional headline findings include:

The US is far behind other high-income countries. In 2023, men had a life expectancy of 75.8 years, placing the country 27th out of 31 OECD countries.
Men carry higher mortality rates from major diseases. Men are more than twice as likely to die from heart disease and 20% more likely to die from cancer compared to women. Additionally, men are 250% as likely to die from accidents and drug overdoses.
Racial and ethnic disparities stand out. Asian American men have the longest life expectancy at birth among men, at 82.3 years. The two groups with the shortest life expectancy among men were American Indian/Alaska Native men (64.5 years) and non-Hispanic Black men (69.1 years).
Where you live matters, A man living in Mississippi is nearly twice as likely to die before 75 years old as a man in New Jersey, with numerous disparities across other states.
Mental ill-health rates for young men continue to increase. More than one in four men ages 18 to 34 reported experiencing mental ill-health in the last year, with the highest rate among men ages 30 to 34 (32%).
The hidden toll on caregivers reveals another dimension of the crisis. According to Movember's survey of 2,109 informal caregivers for men, 44% report their own mental health has declined due to caregiving duties, with women caregivers particularly impacted.
The human toll is compounded by devastating economic impact. In 2023, treating the five leading causes of men’s premature mortality alone - heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), suicide, and opioid use disorder - alone cost $420 billion. This includes $120 billion in direct medical spending and $300 in lost productivity. 85% of these costs are considered preventable.

“This report highlights that all around the country, our fathers, brothers, sons and friends are dying too young, often from preventable causes," says Brian Heilman, Senior Research Fellow at Movember and co-author of the U.S. Real Face of Men’s Health report. “It is not enough to simply tell men to seek help - we must also improve the quality and affordability of care available to them, as well as address the role of structural factors like work hours, social ties, neighborhood walkability, economic security, and more.”

The report also explores long-standing and emerging inequities among subgroups of men, including Indigenous men, where Movember has made global commitments – including a landmark $59.5 million AUD investment in supporting innovative, community-led solutions in Indigenous men’s health. Alongside The Real Face of Men’s Health report, Movember is announcing new U.S. grant investments in Hawaii’s Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services’ KVIBE program, which cultivates social and emotional well-being in young men.

“The U.S. is facing a men’s health crisis hiding in plain sight. From skyrocketing rates of suicide and opioid overdose to massive gaps in life expectancy between different groups of men, this report makes clear just how urgent the situation has become,” says Dr. Derek M. Griffith, Professor and Director of the Program for Men’s Health Equity at the University of Pennsylvania and co-author of the U.S. Real Face of Men’s Health report. “Layered on top of these challenges are stigmas that stop men from seeking help until it’s too late. The data doesn’t just point to individual struggles—it shows ripple effects for families, communities, and the American economy as a whole.”

While Movember’s report brings immense attention to the statistics and obstacles men face, it also offers a strategic path forward to widespread transformation—across healthcare systems, federal and national policies, community and culturally-specific initiatives, philanthropic efforts, educational resources and employment-based programs, and the actions of men themselves. Collaboration on all fronts and a collective mission to change the face of men's health in the U.S. are imperative to set new standards for generations to come.

Click HERE to read the full Real Face of Men’s Health report and its findings.
Click HERE to read about Movember’s investment in Indigenous Communities and HERE for our Indigenous Innovation Grant

About The Movember Institute of Men's Health

Building on a 20-year legacy of investing in men’s physical and mental health, with over $1 billion committed globally to date, the Movember Institute of Men’s Health has ambitious goals to improve the quality of life for millions of men worldwide. By uniting global experts in men’s health, the Institute aims to accelerate research and translate it into actionable, real-world outcomes.

The Institute is committed to raising the profile of men’s health among policymakers, ensuring it is prioritised in proportion to its impact on public health. Focused on critical areas such as mental health, prostate and testicular cancers, gender-specific healthcare, and men’s health literacy, the Institute seeks to address preventable risk factors that contribute to 77% of male deaths and 54% of healthy years of life lost^[1]. Through these efforts, the Institute aims to drive sustainable, global progress in men’s health.

About The Research

The research was conducted by the Movember Institute of Men’s Health in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, combining analysis of national datasets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Census Bureau and other public health repositories with new surveys of more than 2,000 informal caregivers and 4,000 men across the U.S.

Attachments

Blake Williams
Movember
Press.US@Movember.com

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