The company has just signed a three year corporate sponsorship of the Men's Health Trust New Zealand. The sponsorship will help fund the Trust's workplace awareness programme.

On average, Kiwi men die four years younger than women, many from preventable and treatable diseases.  Yet they remain less likely to talk to a GP about their health. New Zealand men go to a doctor three times less often than women and men in general lack awareness of the importance of health screening to help detect preventable diseases and deaths from conditions such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

Recent research conducted by Tower confirms the "she'll be right" attitude that contributes to the four year gap in life expectancy between men and women.

The research showed that 61% of males believe they will live above the current average life expectancy of 78 years for men, compared to only 53% of females who expect to live above the average life expectancy of 82 years for women.

Tower Health and Life chief executive Steve Boomert says that once men reach their mid-40s they seem to become even more optimistic about their life expectancy and are basically saying they expect to live longer than women.

"This result was surprising given we know they will live on average four years less than women.  We want men to start taking an active role in their physical and mental well-being.