9 Health Risks for Boys and Men in Grand Rapids, MI – And What to Do About Them

Men and boys in Grand Rapids face many of the same health risks as males across the U.S., but West Michigan’s climate, lifestyle, and local resources also shape health in unique ways. From long, icy winters to an active outdoor culture along the Grand River and Lake Michigan, understanding these risks—and how to prevent them—can help men in our community live longer, healthier lives.

Below are nine key men’s health risks, how they show up here in Grand Rapids, and practical steps you can take, plus local resources like Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, and the Kent County Health Department.

1. Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in Michigan. In Kent County, many men have risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and tobacco use.

Cold Grand Rapids winters can also increase strain on your heart—especially when shoveling snow or doing heavy outdoor work in freezing temperatures.

What Increases Your Risk

  • High blood pressure
  • High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
  • Smoking or vaping
  • Diabetes or prediabetes
  • Obesity or inactivity (especially in winter)
  • Family history of heart disease
  • High stress and poor sleep

What You Can Do

  • Get regular checkups:
    • Ask your primary care provider at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health to check:
      • Blood pressure
      • Cholesterol
      • Blood sugar (A1C)
  • Stay active year-round:
    • Walk indoors at places like Woodland Mall or Rivertown Crossings on icy days
    • Use home exercise videos or a gym during the winter
  • Quit tobacco:
    • Use Michigan Tobacco Quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
    • Ask your doctor about medications or nicotine replacement
  • Eat a heart-healthy diet:
    • More fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and fish
    • Less fried foods, processed meats, and sugary drinks
  • Know emergency signs:
    • Chest pain or pressure
    • Shortness of breath
    • Pain in arm, jaw, or back
      Call 911 immediately—don’t drive yourself to the hospital.

2. Cancer (Especially Prostate, Lung, and Colorectal Cancer)

Men in Michigan have higher rates of some cancers, particularly lung and colorectal cancer. Prostate cancer is also common in men over 50, and risk is higher in Black men, who make up a significant part of the Grand Rapids community.

Higher-Risk Cancers for Men

  • Prostate cancer
  • Lung cancer (especially for current or former smokers)
  • Colorectal (colon) cancer
  • Skin cancer (yes, even in cloudy, snowy Michigan)

What You Can Do

  • Get recommended screenings:
    • Prostate cancer:
      • Talk with your doctor at age 50 (or 45 if you are Black or have a strong family history)
    • Colorectal cancer:
      • Start screening at age 45 (earlier if you have risk factors)
      • Options include colonoscopy (available at major Grand Rapids hospital systems), stool tests, and other methods
    • Lung cancer:
      • Annual low-dose CT scan if you’re 50–80, have a heavy smoking history, and currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years
  • Protect your skin:
    • Use sunscreen year-round—even when it’s cold or cloudy
    • Wear hats and sunglasses while skiing, snowboarding, fishing, or boating on Lake Michigan
  • Don’t ignore symptoms:
    • Unexplained weight loss
    • Blood in stool or urine
    • Persistent cough or hoarseness
    • New or changing moles
      See a provider promptly at a local clinic or hospital.

3. Mental Health and Suicide Risk

Men in Michigan are more likely than women to die by suicide, and many never seek help. In Grand Rapids, stress from work, finances, family, and seasonal depression (due to long, dark winters and limited sunlight) can all affect mental health.

Warning Signs in Men and Boys

  • Irritability or anger
  • Withdrawing from friends, school, or work
  • Increased alcohol or drug use
  • Talking about feeling hopeless or like a burden
  • Risky behavior (speeding, fighting, unsafe sex)
  • Sleep changes (too much or too little)

What You Can Do

  • Talk to someone:
    • Primary care provider
    • Local therapist or counselor
    • Faith leader or trusted friend
  • Use local and national resources:
    • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text)
    • Network180 (Kent County mental health services)
    • Grand Rapids Public Health and Kent County Health Department can connect you with counseling and support
  • Get outside safely:
    • Even short walks along the Grand River, in local parks, or on the White Pine Trail can improve mood
  • Consider light therapy in winter:
    • Talk to your provider about seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health.

4. Accidents and Injuries

Unintentional injuries are a major cause of death for boys and men in Michigan. In West Michigan, this includes car accidents on icy roads, workplace injuries, sports injuries, and recreational accidents (hunting, boating, snowmobiling).

Common Risks in Grand Rapids

  • Winter driving on snow and ice
  • Snow shoveling and snowblower injuries
  • Construction and manufacturing jobs
  • Biking or scootering in city traffic
  • Water and boating accidents on nearby lakes and rivers

What You Can Do

  • Drive carefully year-round:
    • Slow down on wet, snowy, or icy roads
    • Don’t drive distracted or under the influence
    • Always wear a seat belt
  • Use safety gear:
    • Helmets for biking, skiing, snowboarding, and skating
    • Life jackets for boating and fishing
    • Proper protective equipment at work
  • Take care lifting and shoveling:
    • Lift with your legs, not your back
    • Take breaks when shoveling heavy, wet snow
    • Ask for help if you have heart disease or are older

5. Diabetes and Obesity

In Michigan, obesity and type 2 diabetes are common—and they affect many men in Grand Rapids. Cold winters can make it harder to stay active, and comfort foods can be high in calories, sugar, and fat.

Risk Factors

  • Being overweight or obese
  • Family history of diabetes
  • High blood pressure or high cholesterol
  • Inactivity, especially during winter
  • Poor diet (fast food, sugary drinks, processed snacks)

What You Can Do

  • Know your numbers:
    • Ask your provider to check:
      • Fasting blood sugar
      • A1C (3‑month blood sugar average)
      • Blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Make small, realistic changes:
    • Replace sugary drinks with water or unsweetened tea
    • Add one extra serving of vegetables per day
    • Walk 10–20 minutes most days, indoors if needed
  • Use local support:
    • Diabetes education programs at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health
    • Nutrition counseling and wellness programs through Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health

6. High Blood Pressure and Stroke

High blood pressure (hypertension) is very common among Michigan men and often goes unnoticed. It significantly increases the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Why It Matters in West Michigan

  • Many men don’t feel symptoms until serious damage occurs
  • Cold weather can temporarily raise blood pressure
  • Salt-heavy diets (processed foods, fast foods, winter comfort foods) worsen hypertension

What You Can Do

  • Get checked regularly:
    • At your doctor’s office, local pharmacy, or community screenings in Grand Rapids
  • Monitor at home:
    • Use a home blood pressure cuff and log your readings
  • Cut back on sodium:
    • Limit processed foods, canned soups, frozen meals, and restaurant meals
  • Recognize stroke signs (FAST):
    • Face drooping
    • Arm weakness
    • Speech difficulty
    • Time to call 911
      Go to the nearest emergency room immediately—stroke care is time-sensitive.

7. Respiratory Diseases (Including Asthma and COPD)

Michigan’s fluctuating weather, seasonal allergens, and high rates of smoking contribute to breathing problems in men, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

In Grand Rapids, poor air quality days, pollen seasons, and cold air can all trigger symptoms.

Risk Factors

  • Smoking or vaping
  • Long-term exposure to dust, fumes, or chemicals at work
  • Allergies
  • Family history of asthma or lung disease

What You Can Do

  • Quit smoking or vaping:
    • Michigan Tobacco Quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
    • Local smoking cessation programs through Grand Rapids health systems
  • Protect your lungs at work:
    • Use masks or respirators when recommended
    • Follow workplace safety rules
  • Manage asthma and COPD:
    • Use inhalers exactly as prescribed
    • Have an asthma/COPD action plan from your provider
    • Avoid triggers like smoke, strong fumes, and very cold air (use a scarf over your mouth and nose in winter)

8. Substance Use (Alcohol and Drugs)

Alcohol and drug misuse affect many Michigan families, including here in Grand Rapids. Men are more likely to engage in heavy drinking, misuse prescription medications, or use illicit drugs.

Warning Signs

  • Drinking or using drugs to cope with stress or emotions
  • Needing more to get the same effect
  • Relationship or work problems due to substance use
  • Legal or financial trouble linked to drinking or drugs

What You Can Do

  • Be honest with your provider:
    • Doctors in Grand Rapids are trained to help, not judge
  • Use local treatment resources:
    • Network180 (Kent County behavioral health services)
    • Addiction treatment programs through Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health
  • Know overdose risks:
    • Mixing opioids with alcohol or sedatives is especially dangerous
    • Ask about naloxone (Narcan) if you or someone you love uses opioids

9. Sexual and Reproductive Health

Boys and men in Grand Rapids may hesitate to talk about sexual health, but issues like sexually transmitted infections (STIs), erectile dysfunction, and infertility are common and treatable.

Common Concerns

  • STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, HPV)
  • Erectile dysfunction (can be an early sign of heart disease)
  • Low testosterone
  • Fertility concerns
  • Testicular pain, lumps, or swelling

What You Can Do

  • Get regular STI testing if sexually active:
    • Especially if you have new or multiple partners
    • Testing is available at primary care clinics, urology practices, and some public health clinics through Kent County Health Department
  • Practice safer sex:
    • Use condoms
    • Have open, honest conversations with partners
  • Check your testicles monthly:
    • Look for new lumps, swelling, or pain
    • Report any changes to your provider right away
  • Talk openly with your doctor:
    • Urologists and men’s health specialists in Grand Rapids can evaluate erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, and fertility issues

Helping Boys and Men in Grand Rapids Stay Healthy

Men’s health in Grand Rapids, MI, is shaped by our local climate, work environments, and community culture—but there are many ways to stay healthy at every age.

Steps You Can Take Now

  • Schedule an annual checkup with a primary care provider
    (Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, or a local clinic)
  • Know your key numbers:
    • Blood pressure
    • Cholesterol
    • Blood sugar (A1C)
    • Weight and BMI
  • Stay active in all seasons:
    • Indoor walking, community centers, home workouts, or local gyms during winter
  • Use local resources:
    • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health for vaccinations, screenings, and health programs
    • Network180 and local mental health providers for emotional and behavioral health support

If you have questions or notice changes in your health, don’t wait. Early action—especially for men and boys—can prevent serious problems and keep you healthier, longer, right here in Grand Rapids.