The World Health Organization has just released a report on non-communicable diseases. This includes diabetes, cancer and respiratory and heart diseases. Many of these diseases could be prevented with behavioral changes. While these numbers relate to the whole world, they are still powerful.
Let’s take a look at some lifestyle choices and how they affect life or death situations.
1. Tobacco Use
Smoking or chewing tobacco are one of the deadliest lifestyle choices you can make. Nearly six million people die every year due to tobacco use. Sadly, this also includes second-hand smoke. The report estimates that by 2020 the number will reach 7.5 million – that’s 10 percent of all deaths.
2. Lack of Exercise
The WHO report estimates that 3.2 million people die every year because they don’t get enough physical activity. If you don’t exercise, you increase your chance of dying prematurely by 20 to 30 percent.
Those who lack exercise tend to be mostly in high-income countries, but there is also evidence of sedentary-related deaths in some middle-income countries, particularly among women.
3. Bad Eating Habits (Obesity)
The health risks for obesity are well documented, with higher instances of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer as the main culprits. The WHO says that “at least” 2.8 million people die every year due to being overweight or obese.
4. Alcohol Abuse
Moderate alcohol consumption is not only okay for most people, it’s also been connected to some health benefits. However, abusing alcohol is prevalent and, of course, very dangerous. About 2.5 million people die every year from alcohol abuse. That’s almost four percent of all deaths in the world- an astounding revelation.
(via: Yahoo! UK)
April 28th, 2011