Lifestyle's global sickness toll
Wednesday September 14th, 2011
Millions of people around the world are now dying early from life-style related diseases such as heart disease and many forms of cancer, according to a global report published today.
More
than nine million people died before the age of 60 from non-communicable
diseases in 2008, such as heart disease and cancer, according to the World
Health Organisation report.
The WHO report says as many as 90 per cent of these deaths occurred in poor and middle-income countries.
WHO warns that in all countries smoking, inactivity and poor diet can contribute to the "invisible epidemic".
The diseases include heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. Together, they are the top global cause of mortality.
According to the WHO: "The burden is growing - the number of people, families and communities afflicted is increasing."
Dr Ala Alwan of WHO said: "This report indicates where each government needs to focus to prevent and treat the four major killers: cancer, heart disease and stroke, lung disease and diabetes."
Rates of non-communicable diseases can be cut using existing knowledge, and the solutions are believed to be highly cost-effective, the report says. The WHO calls for comprehensive and integrated action at country level, led by governments, as the means to achieve success.
* An analysis last night said a health lifestyle could "significantly reduce" the risk of developing heart failure
The research, involving nearly 40,000 people in Finland, found that not smoking, not being overweight, regular physical activity and eating vegetables all played a key role in preventing the problem.
Smoking nearly doubled the risk of heart failure - as did obesity, the research in Circulation: Heart Failure found.
Researchers in Finland and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA, worked together on the project.
Researcher Dr Gang Hu, of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, said: "Any steps you take to stay healthy can reduce your risk of heart failure. Hypothetically, about half of new heart failure cases occurring in this population could have been prevented if everyone engaged in at least three healthy lifestyle behaviours."
Circulation: Heart Failure September 12 2011
Tags: Europe | Fitness | General Health | World Health
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