Men moan more about flu than women

LONDON, Nov 14 (Reuters) Men may or may not suffer more from influenza than women, but according to a survey they moan more, spend more on remedies and take more time off work when they are ill.

A poll of 2,000 men and women on winter ailments revealed that 64 per cent of men said they had suffered a viral infection last winter that caused them to miss work, compared with 45 per cent of women.

Not only did men appear to be more susceptible to illness, their bodies took longer to recover. Men took on average three days to get better against 1.5 days for women.

And during the recovery period, men were dipping into their pockets more often and spending more. On average men spent 18.34 pounds on cold and flu remedies throughout winter against just 12.03 pounds for hardier women.

November was statistically the worst month for the medically unrecognised ailment of ''man flu''.

The survey, on behalf of men's magazine ''Nuts'', found 82 per cent of men thought the best way to recover was to take it easy in bed and just wait. In contrast, 66 per cent of women thought the best way to get better was to keep active.

The best home remedy -- agreed by both genders -- was judged to be chicken soup.

Reuters BDP DB0919