Half of NSW men overweight, says govt

More than half of NSW men are overweight or obese, according to the government, lowering their life expectancy and taking a massive toll on the state's health system.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard launched a new Men's Health Framework on Tuesday as part of Men's Health Week.

Mr Hazzard said men needed to take more responsibility for their health and weight loss and hoped the new framework would encourage them to do that.

"For some men, as they grow older and their waistlines expand, their life span shrinks," Mr Hazzard said in a statement.

"This strategy is all about helping men find simple ways to get healthy, through both diet and lifestyle, and live longer."

NSW Health Deputy Secretary Dr Nigel Lyons said men should aim to do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week.