A fact ?hard to swallow?: More than 18 million American men suffer from erectile dysfunction. Webmd.com informs about a new study from Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health which shows nearly one in five men experience erectile dysfunction. Researchers examined the prevalence of erectile dysfunction and its connection with other health problems in a sample of more than 2,100 men, aged 20 and older, who took part in a nationwide survey in 2001-2002. Researchers classified men who reported being ?sometimes able? or ?never able? to get and keep an erection as having erectile dysfunction. It was also found that ED was much more common among men with diabetes or other risk factors such as heart disease and those who were physically inactive. The results showed 18.4% of men over 20 suffered from erectile dysfunction. The problem was much more common in older men, with 70% of men aged 70 and above of having reported erectile problems, compared with 5% of men between the age 20 to 40.

Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent ED

The study showed that men with heart disease risk factors, diabetes, or a sedentary lifestyle were much more likely to report erectile dysfunction than healthier, more physically active men. The examples can be taken from these study findings to validate the above statement.

• Almost 90% of men with erectile dysfunction had at least one risk factor such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, smoking, or diabetes.

• 50% of men with diabetes reported erectile dysfunction.

• Men with diabetes were three times more likely to have ED than men without diabetes, even after adjusting for other risk factors.

• Men, who were physically inactive, such as those who hadn't engaged in vigorous physical activity for at least a month, were much more likely to have ED than men who were physically active.

Apart from showing how widespread erectile dysfunction is, researchers say the results are noteworthy because they suggest simple lifestyle changes like regular exercise and eating a healthy diet may ease the problem for many men by reducing the risk of heart disease and associated conditions. So daily exercising can be an effective, drug-free way to treat and prevent erectile dysfunction. That means men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction may not choose to or like pills to find a quick-fix for the problem, rather they can alter their life style, a less expensive way for long lasting result.