An interesting article has appeared in PM Live, based on several articles recently published in The Lancet.
These articles reveal that advancements in treating infections and tackling malnutrition have seen chronic diseases and disability become the biggest global healthcare burdens.
The ‘Global Burden of Disease Study 2010’, is a collaborative project led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, described the “devastating irony” that people were now living longer but becoming sicker in its analysis of healthcare trends from 1990 to 2010.
Poor diet and inactivity have led to obesity and obesity related illnesses such as high blood pressure
The rise of unhealthy eating was one of the main drivers of this reshaping of the healthcare landscape, with people more likely to “suffer from eating too much food rather than too little”, according to the study.
This poor diet, along with physical inactivity, has led to rising rates of obesity and related conditions, such as high blood pressure, which is the biggest risk factor for death today.
Other lifestyle-related health issues, such as tobacco smoking and alcohol abuse, have also increased their share of the global disease burden over the past 20 years, becoming the second and third biggest risk factors in health today.
More information about how chronic diseases are now the biggest healthcare burden
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Whilst I agree that unhealthy living plays a major pat in chronic/acute illnesses, this kind of statement always make me feel uncomfortable and upset. I have a chronic illness despite leading an extremely healthy lifestyle I do not smoke or drink alcohol and in fact taught look after your heart for the health education authority some years ago, was a health and fitness tutor and dance teacher. I was truck down with cardiomyopathy as a result of a virus not from my lifestyle. So hopefully not everyone with a heart condition will be labelled in the same way, there are exceptions and it would be good if this was acknowledged more. Apart from that the government need to be doing more to discourage the food giants selling total rubbish and advertising at great sporting events it is a very mixed message to the young!
on December 14, 2012 at 12:30 pm Suzie MaeHi Suzie Mae and thank you for your comment. You make some very valid points and you are right that not all people with chronic diseases eat unhealthily or don’t do exercise.
Also you make a great point about the food giants!! Wonder if any will comment here?
on December 14, 2012 at 12:34 pm talkhealth