SEA facing ‘epidemic’ in lifestyle diseases–experts

MANILA, Philippines – Non-communicable diseases (NCAs) resulting from unhealthy lifestyles and other “environmental factors” are now becoming an ‘epidemic’ in Southeast Asia, an international study shows. 

Spurred by  “environmental factors” that promote tobacco use, unhealthy diets and inadequate physical activity, NCAs are now responsible for over 60 % of deaths in the region.

Citing the Global Burden of Disease projection, the study pointed out that some 2.6 million people from the 10 ASEAN countries died from chronic NDCs in 2005.  This accounts for almost  61.5 percent of the total deaths in these nations for that year.

“With the aging of these populations and increasing exposure to risk factors for NDCs, the numbers are projected to increase to 4.2 million deaths in 2030,” the study said.

Urgent action

But it is not just the numbers that are worrisome. Most of the victims, the study noted, are younger than 65 years old and are within the most productive years of their lives.

“Many have insufficient resources to deal with chronic illness and premature death – a situation that threatens not only families but also entire economies,” the study said.

“Urgent action is needed,” the study stressed.

It estimates that some $7 billion would be lost between 2006 to 2015 because of NCDs in the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Hitting the poor the most

“A health crisis is transpiring right before our eyes,” the study said. “Unless nations recognize the problem and take appropriate action, premature death and disability will continue, hindering development where development is needed most.” 

The study, whose authors include Filipino health expert Dr Antonio Dans–a professor at the UP College of Medicine–said that the issue hits the poor and “disadvantaged populations” the most, with death rates inversely proportional to a country’s gross national income.” 

“Families shoulder the financial burdens but the entire economies suffer as well,” according to the study, which was published in February 2012 on The Lancet, a highly-respected publication that publishes the best research works in the field of medicine.

Blame smoking

The study showed that “tobacco use, inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables and insufficient physical activity” are the “major behavioral risk factors that predict NCDs.”

“These risk factors are modifiable and are amenable to cost-effective population-wide interventions,” the study stated. But among these three, smoking is the “single most important cause of death and disability from NCDs.”

In the Philippines, the government is proposing to discourage this unhealthy habit by taxing it through the proposed sin tax bill.  

Promoting healthy living

Unless nations recognize the problem and take appropriate actions, premature death and disability will continue, hindering development where development is needed most. Inaction affects millions of lives – and often, we are speaking of the lives of people who have the least,” the study showed. 

Unfortunately, the study noted, “countries in Southeast Asia have spent very little resources addressing the major health and development issue of chronic NCDs.”

Among other things, the study said:

• Health-care systems need to be redesigned to deliver chronic care that is founded on existing primary health-care facilities, but supported by good referral systems. 
• Surveillance of key modifiable risk factors is needed to monitor the magnitude of the problem and to study the effects of interventions. 
• All branches of government and all sectors of society have to get involved in establishing environments that are conducive to healthy living. 

The study, entitled, “The rise of chronic non-communicable diseases in southeast Asia: time for action,” was funded by China Medical Board, the Rockefeller Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies. – Rappler.com