ABSTRACT
In the context of men’s health and men’s health equity, middle age is an important yet understudied phase of life. Historically, middle age, also referred to as midlife within the literature, has been portrayed as the peak of the life course (Lachman, Teshale, & Agrigoroaei, 2015), but there is great variability in how this phase of life is framed. Some portray middle age as a time of crisis, whereas others characterize it as the “prime of life” (Almeida & Horn, 2004) and a period when people are healthy and consume relatively few healthcare resources (LaVeist, Bowie, & Cooley-Quille, 2000). Typically, research on the health of boys and men has focused more attention on the health of males who are children and adolescents or those who are older adults. It is completely logical to try to establish healthy lifestyles and prevent future chronic disease by focusing on younger males, and on the other end of the lifespan, focusing on older adults because of the cost and complexity associated with aging and older adulthood.
