Enemies of health and allies of poverty join hand to create global havoc, leaving different marks on different classes
• It is now evident that health risks related to consumption are on the rise. Some suffer from plenty, others from scarcity.
• Among the 170 million underweight children in poor countries, over 3 million will die this year
• Among the 300 million clinically obese people, half a million in only the United States and Western Europe will die this year
• More than 60% of deaths worldwide is caused by epidemics of non-communicable diseases, clearly related to changes in dietary patterns. More people are consuming industrially produced fatty, salty and sugar-laden food
• Ambient air pollution contributes 0.8 million deaths globally causing trachea, bronchus and lung cancer, cardiorespiratory and respiratory infection mortality.
• Climate change claimed 154,000 deaths through diarrhoea, malaria, dengue fever
• Worldwide, 10.3% of cancer of the lung, trachea, bronchus, and 2.4% of leukaemia, is caused by occupational exposure to carcinogens like asbestos, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, diesel exhaust, nickel and silica
| What afflicts Depends on money? |
|
| Developing countries | |
| Percentage | |
| High mortality countries | |
| Underweight Unsafe sex Unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene Indoor smoke from solid fuels Zinc deficiency Iron deficiency Vitamin A deficiency Blood pressure Tobacco Cholesterol |
14.9 10.2 5.5 3.6 3.2 3.1 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.9 |
| Low mortality countries | |
| Alcohol Blood pressure Tobacco Underweight Overweight Cholesterol Low fruit and vegetable intake Indoor smoke from solid fuels Iron deficiency Unsafe water, sanitation, hygiene |
6.2 5.0 4.0 3.1 2.7 2.1 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 |
| Developed countries | |
| Tobacco Blood pressure Alcohol Cholesterol Overweight Low fruit and vegetable intake Physical inactivity Illicit drugs Unsafe sex Iron deficiency |
12.2 10.9 9.2 7.6 7.4 3.9 3.3 1.8 0.8 0.7 |
| What
inflicts Depends on how you look after your surroundings |
||
| Risk factor | Theoretical minimum exposure |
Measured adverse outcome of exposure |
| Unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene | Absence of transmission of diarrhoeal disease through water, sanitation and hygiene practices | Diarrhoea |
| Urban air pollution | 7.5 ug/m3 for PM2.5 | Cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, lung cancer, mortality from acute respiratory infections in children |
| Indoor smoke from solid fuels | No solid fuel use | Acute respiratory infections in children, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer |
| Lead exposure | 0.016 ug/dl blood lead levels | Cardiovascular disease, mild mental retardation |
| Climate change | 1961-199 0 concentrations | Diarrhoea, flood injury, malaria, malnutrition |
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.