Health Is Not a Zero-Sum Game: Bringing Gender in Boys' Health Research and Practice

Global health research and programming have historically treated gender as synonymous with women and girls, overlooking how gender norms also shape boys' health. This commentary argues that boys' health disparities (such as higher rates of premature mortality from violence, injury, and substance use) are deeply gendered outcomes, rooted in social expectations of risk-taking, stoicism, and dominance. Using evidence from the Global Burden of Disease Study and contemporary gender theory, we argue that gender affects girls' as much as boys' health. 

Suggested citation

Cislaghi, B., Ramaiya, A., Greenbaum, C., Mmari, K., Lohan, M., Jones, N., Cabral, C., Ghimire, A. and Moreau, C. (2026) 'Health Is Not a Zero-Sum Game: Bringing Gender in Boys' Health Research and Practice' Journal of Adolescent Health, ISSN: 1054-139X (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2026.08.002)