Okay, men: Stand up straight, look down and tell us what you see. If you can’t see your “package,” you might need to lose some weight.

Health experts in England did a survey of 1000 men age 35 to 60 and found that one-third of them had bellies so round they couldn’t see their own private parts. And that puts them at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease and other health problems.

We Love Our Health, the British men’s health organization that launched the survey, has started a public health campaign dubbed “The Big Check” to get all men to look south. The small, privately-funded organization aims to provide information on all aspects of men’s health, from diet and lifestyle to disease prevention and treatment. Men can even register as members (for a fee) to get their questions—two per month—answered by a doctor.

If British men can get over their stereotypical stuffiness to gaze at their privates, there’s no reason red-blooded American men can’t do the same. So take a look at yourself—the shower is a good place to start. And then, even more importantly, take action depending on what you see… or don’t see!

(Photo © Creatas/Thinkstock.)