Women are like open books, but with men, talking about even the seemingly most common and most fundamental health-related issues is a taboo. Check out the following list of health issues men talk less but really worry so much about.

• DIET. The health freak department is not exclusive to female members. Although men are believed to be voracious meat eaters with the biggest appetites, the truth is that men do worry about the stuff that they take in.

Some appear to eat anything that is edible: junk food, beer, fats, but a greater number secretly prefer homemade meals and healthier choices. Aphrodisiacs, food types and energy drinks that are believed to enhance performance and build muscle mass are almost always a big hit. For some, supplements and vitamins are also diet staples.

• DISEASES AND SCREENING. There are some diseases and health conditions that are exclusive to men. Prostate and testicular cancer continues to top the list, as well as the ever-notorious but temporary fears of getting the worst deals of the sexual health package: occasional erectile dysfunction, low sperm count and the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases. Peyronie's disease is a foreboding health condition as well, especially for men in their fifties.

Sadly though, for fear of embarrassment, few men hardly see experts for medical advice and the needed tests. More often than not, medical opinion and treatment are sought when the health problem has become too big to hide.

• FIGURE AND LOOKS. Men want to look great. Who does not? Health-related issues that top this list include the desire to have a lot of hair, sinewy muscles, great abs and a trim stomach – and the cost required to get this dream figure. Although some claim that the bank figures matter more than the body figure and the hair that shows on the head, a significant portion of the single males' crowd believe otherwise. Just look at the gyms and check who the people are who are lifting weights, doing the treadmill or engaging in physical training.

• HYGIENE. If you think men do not care about how they smell, think again. These tough guys may not want to admit it in the open, but they do fret about the way they smell and the way they look. Indicators of poor hygiene such as pimples, oils, and blotches on the skin and face do worry them too. There would not be men's cleansers if this were not the case.

Men's concern for hygiene is not limited to the periphery either. Men are equally worrisome about how they smell below. If you need convincing, do some sleuthing in forums where a sizable portion of the male population frequents. You are likely to stumble upon a topic or two where timid and anonymous posters raise questions on how best to smell good anywhere and all the time.

Health is everybody's concern. Men may keep mum about it, but their silence does not mean they are not worried about their diet, diseases, figure and hygiene.