An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Benjamin Franklin
We need to shift our focus to preventative self care
Chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases are the leading cause of illness, disability and death around the world. Over 50% of adults (closer to 75% in older adults) now live with one or more chronic illnesses (commodities). There are four shared behavioural risk factors that contribute to these leading chronic diseases: tobacco use, physical inactivity, alcohol use and unhealthy diet. A large percentage of chronic diseases are therefore preventable through the behavioural and lifestyle choice we make. Through good nutritional, physical and lifestyle changes, we can shift our focus towards disease prevention over cure. The decline in global health will continue to skyrocket unless we take control of our own health and wellbeing today.
Health Facts
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71% of the 58 million total deaths globally (2018) (WHO).
Each year, 15 million people die from a NCD between the ages of 30 and 69 years; over 85% of these "premature" deaths occur in low and middle income countries.
Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.0 million), respiratory diseases (3.9 million), and diabetes (1.6 million).
These 4 groups of diseases account for over 80% of all premature NCD deaths.
In terms of attributable deaths, the leading metabolic risk factor globally is elevated blood pressure (19% of global deaths are attributed), followed by overweight and obesity and raised blood glucose.
In Australia, NCD deaths account for approximately 89% of the 160 thousand total deaths, of which 9% are premature deaths (age 30 to 69) (WHO).
1 in 3 adults lives with more than one chronic condition. This figure is closer to 3 out of 4 in older adults living in developed countries and is predicted to rise dramatically with the proportion of people with 4+ diseases almost doubling between 2015 and 2035 in the UK (NIH).
Risk Factors
The main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes (82% of global NCD deaths).
NCDs, also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behaviours factors.
A large percentage of NCDs are preventable through the reduction of their four main behavioural risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diet (WHO).
The influences of these behavioural risk factors, and other underlying metabolic/physiological causes, on the global NCD epidemic include Tobacco use, Insufficient physical activity, Harmful use of alcohol, An unhealthy diet, Raised blood pressure, Overweight/obesity, Raised cholesterol, Cancer-associated infections.
Although our genes do play a role in predisposing us to certain diseases, recent research that almost 85 percent of the risk of disease comes down to these environmental and behavioral factors (NIH).
Health Care
Our current medical paradigm is failing in the treatment of chronic disease.
Conventional ways of treating these diseases is based on suppressing symptoms with drugs and managing the disease after it has already occurred, rather than preventing and reversing disease by addressing its underlying causes (Australian Health Tracker).
The Look Ahead Study (13-years) of 5000 people comparing an intensive group lifestyle change program for diabetes prevention and treatment showed to be remarkably more effective in lowering weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure than conventional medical care. (NIH)
Community based group programs solve many enormous obstacles to reversing this epidemic faced by the health care system. Doctors lack the time, resources, and support team to help patients create sustainable lifestyle change (Dr. Hyman).
We are social beings and thrive with connection. Your social networks matter, and if your friends have healthy habits, you are more likely to as well. So get healthy friends!
Together, our community can create a new health paradigm - one that connects people and provides the support to make positive, sustainable health choices.