References for fact sheets
| Fact as on the factsheet | Link | Source | Page | Original quote |
| Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): a global emergency | ||||
| NCDs - a fast-growing epidemic | ||||
| NCDs kill 36 million people a year, accounting for nearly 2/3rds of all deaths; They are the most frequent cause of death in most countries of the world. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | Alwan, a et al. Monitoring and surveillance of chronic noncommunicable diseases: progress and capacity in high-burden countries. The Lancet, 2010, 376:1861-1868 cited in World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 9 | A total of 57 deaths occured in the world during 2008; 36 million (63%) were due to NCDs, principally cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respoiratory diseases. And NCDs are the most frequent causes of death in most countries in the Americas, South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranian and the Western Pacific |
| If current trends continue, NCD deaths will increase by 15% over the next decade, reaching 44 million a year | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 9 | NCD deaths are projected to increase by 15% globally between 2010 and 2020 (to 44 million deaths) |
| While infectious disease deaths are projected to decline by about 7 million over the next 20 years, cardiovascular disease and cancer deaths are expected to increase by 10 million. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 11 | Whereas annual infectious disease deaths are projected to decline by around 7 million over the next 20 years, annual cardiovascular disease mortality is projected to increase by 6 million, and annual cancer deaths by 4 million. |
| The World Economic Forum identifies NCDs as a top threat to the global economy | http://www.weforum.org/pdf/globalrisk/globalrisks2010.pdf | World Economic Forum. Global Risks 2010: A global risk network report. P 24. | 24 | Chronic diseases (or non-communicable diseases (NCD)), including: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some chronic lung conditions and preventable cancers) are strongly connected to a number of other global risks: fiscal crises; underinvestment in infrastructure; food, water and energy security. |
| NCDs hit low and middle income countries hardest | ||||
| Nearly four out of five deaths from NCDs (80%) occur in low- or middle-income countries. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 9 | …available data demonstrates that nearly 80% of NCD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. |
| If current trends continue, by 2030 NCDs in low- and middle-income countries will cause FIVE times more deaths than communicable diseases, maternal and newborn death and hunger combined. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2008. The global burden of disease: 2004 update. Cited in World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2011 | 11 | In low- and middle-income countries, NCDs will be responsible for three times as many DALYs and nearly five times as many deaths as communicable diseases, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions combined, by 2030. |
| Even in Africa, the one region where infectious disease still kills more people than NCDs, NCDs are on the rise. If current trends there continue, the toll of NCDs will nearly equal the toll of communicable disease, maternal and newborn death and malnutrition combined in 2030. Already Africa is the region with the highest prevalence of high blood pressure, which is closely related to risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 9 | In the African Region, there are still more deaths from infectious diseases than NCDs. Even there, however, the prevalence of NCDs is rising rapidly and is projected to cause almost three-quartesrs as many deaths as communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional diseases by 2020, and to almost equal them as the most common causes of death by 2030. |
| NCDs kill people at a younger age in low- and middle income countries -- on average 10 years younger than in high-income countries. | http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12815 | Institiute of Medicine. 2010. Promoting Cardiovascular Health in the Developing World.: A critical challenge to achieve global health.Washington: The National Academies Press, 54-55. | 53-55 | Not only do age-adjusted CVD death rates tend to be higher in developing countries, but a significantlz higher percentage of cardiovascular deaths also occur in zounger people in the developing world than in developed countries |
| In a single decade, developing countries are expected to lose 84 billion dollars of productivity from the death and disability caused by NCDs | http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12815 | Institiute of Medicine. 2010. Promoting Cardiovascular Health in the Developing World.: A critical challenge to achieve global health.Washington: The National Academies Press, 137. | 137 | $84 billion of economic production will be lost due to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in 23 high-burden developing countries between 2006 and 2015 |
| NCDs can be prevented | ||||
| A large percentage of NCDs can be prevented by reducing the four main risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alchohol and unhealthy diet. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 p16 | 16 | Most NCDs are strongly associated and causally linked with four particular behaviours: tobacco use, phzsical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol. |
| At least 80% of premature heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes and 40% of cancer could be prevented | http://www.who.int/chp/chronic_disease_report/full_report.pdf | World Health Organization. Preventing Chronic Disease: A vital investment. P 18. | 18 | The major caues of chronic diseases are known, and if these risk factors were eliminated, at least 80% of all heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes would be prevented; over 40% of cancer would be prevented. |
| Obesity: a growing danger | ||||
| Overweight and obesity - a new epidemic | ||||
| Globally, 1.5 billion adults are overweight of which 500 million adults were obese | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | WHO’s latest projections indicate that globally in 2008: approximately 1.5 billion adults (age 20+) were overweight;of these, more than 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese. |
| Nearly 43 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2010 | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | In the past 20 years, the rates of obesity have tripled in developing countries that have been adopting a Western lifestyle involving decreased physical activity and overconsumption of cheap, energy-dense food. |
| Around the world, obesity has more than doubled since 1980. | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | Worldwide, obesity has more than doubled since 1980. |
| Worldwide, overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths than underweight. | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. For example, 65% of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kill more people than underweight (this includes all high-income and most middle-income countries). |
| Overweight and obesity are serious threats to health | ||||
| Overweight and obesity increase the risk of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. | http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. | 9 | The leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure (responsible for 13% of deaths globally), tobacco use (9%), high blood glucose (6%), hysical inactivity (6%) and overweight and obesity (5%). These risks are responsible for raising the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancers. |
| Almost three million deaths a year are attributed to overweight/obesity. | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | At least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. |
| Overweight and obesity are the fifth highest risk factor for death, ahead of alcohol, unsafe sex, or poor sanitation and water supply. | http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. | 9 | The leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure (responsible for 13% of deaths globally), tobacco use (9%), high blood glucose (6%), physical inactivity (6%) and overweight and obesity (5%). |
| Obese children are more often ill or disabled in adulthood and are likely to die earlier than those of normal weight. | http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood_consequences/en/index.html | World Health Organization, Global strategy on diet and physical activity | none | Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of premature death and disability in adulthood. Overweight and obese children are more likely to stay obese into adulthood and to develop noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. |
| Overweight and obesity are growing heath problems for the poor | ||||
| In the past two decades, obesity rates have tripled in developing countries | siteresources.worldbank.org/INTMENA/Resources/Pressrelease_Riyadh.pdf | World Diabetes Foundation. Obesity and Diabetes - Emerging Major Healthcare Challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean Region | 1 | Over the past 20 years, obesity rates have tripled in developing countries that have been adopting a Western lifestyle involving decreased physical activity and over consumption of cheap, energy-dense food. |
| In 2010, in South Africa, more than two thirds of women were overweight or obese | http://www.iaso.org/policy/aboutobesity/ | International Association for Study of Obesity | In 2004, increased BMI alone was estimated to account for 2.8 million deaths. | |
| More than four in ten people in Colombia and more than a third of the Brazilian population are classed as overweight | www.fao.org/worldfoodsummit/english/fsheets/malnutrition.pdf | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The Spectrum of Malnutrition. | 2 | In Colombia, 41% of the population are overweight; in Brazil, 36%. |
| Physical activity: vital to global health | ||||
| Physical inactivity kills | ||||
| Globally, physical inactivity contributes to some 3.2 million deaths a year and is the fourth highest risk factor for death in the world, ahead of unsafe sex, undernutrition, and alcohol use | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. | 9 | The leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure (responsible for 13% of deaths globally), tobacco use (9%), high blood glucose (6%), hysical inactivity (6%) and overweight and obesity (5%). These risks are responsible for raising the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancers. |
| Physical inactivity causes more than one in four cases of heart disease and of diabetes deaths, and more than one in five cases breast and colon cancer. | http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/pa/en/index.html | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10 | Physical inactivity is estimated as being the principal cause for approximately 21-25% of breast and colon cancer burden, 27% of diabetes and approximately 30% of ischaemic heart disease burden. In addition, NCDs now account for nearlz half of the overall global burden of disease. It is estimated currently that of ervery 10 deaths, 6 are attributable to noncommunicable conditions. |
| Physical activity levels are declining worldwide | ||||
| Globally, over 30 per cent of adults are insufficiently active | http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_inactivity/en/index.html | World Health Organization. Physical Inactivity: A Global Public Health Problem | none | Globally, around 31% of adults aged 15 and over were insufficiently active in 2008 (men 28% and women 34%). Approximately 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity. |
| Around the world, more and more people are physically inactive, including those in developing countries. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599979_eng.pdf | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10 | Levels of physical inactivity are rising in many countries |
| Physical inactivity is not just a problem of the wealthy | ||||
| Of the deaths attributable to physical inactivity, 2.6 million are in low- and middle-income countries. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion. 2011. | none | Around 3.2 million deaths per year, including 2.6 million in low- and middle-income countries, are due to physical inactivity. |
| While physical inactivity is more prevalent in high- and middle-income countries, even in low-income countries it is among the top 10 risk factors contributing to death. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 11 | (information contained in a table) | |
| Physical activity improves health and quality of life | ||||
| Physical activity helps control blood pressure and blood sugar, prevent overweight and obesity, and strengthen bones. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599979_eng.pdf | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10, 52 | Levels of physical inactivity are rising in many countries with major implications for the general health of people worldwide and for the prevalence of NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer and their risk factors such as raised blood pressure, raised blood sugar and overweight. |
| Fit and active children concentrate better; they are more likely to have good test scores and to be successful students. | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20097353 | Roberts CK et al., Low aerobic fitness and obesity are associated with lower standardized test scores in children. The journal of pediatrics. 156(5):711-718. | aerobic fitness is associated with enhanced performance on standardized achievement tests...Mechanistic studies of cognitive function suggest a positive effect of physical activity on intellectual performance | |
| Global dietary changes threaten health | ||||
| Unhealthy diet kills | ||||
| Unhealthy diets are linked to four of the world’s top ten leading risk factors causing death: high blood pressure, high blood glucose, overweight and obesity, and high cholesterol. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 16-17. | 16, 17 | Diet - especially too much salt - alcohol, lack of exercise and obesity all raise blood pressure…Diets high in saturated fat, physical inactivity and genetics can increase cholesterol levels…Changes in diet and reductions in physical activity levels increase resistance to insulin, which, in turn, raises blood glucose...Mean BMI, overweight and obesity are increasing worldwide due to changes in diet and increasing physical inactivity. |
| Inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and some cancers and accounts for some 1.7 million deaths a year | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 20 | Approximately 1.7 million (2.8%) of deaths worldwide are attributable to low fruit and vegetable consumption |
| Dietary salt consumption is an important determinant of blood pressure levels and of overall cardiovascular risk; high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for death around the world. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241500777_eng.pdf | WHO, 2010. Creating an enabling environment for population-based salt reduction strategies: report of a jiont technical meeting held by WHO and the Food Standards Agency, UK. | 4 | High blood pressure is responsible for 13% of deaths globally. The risk of death from high blood pressure in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is more than double that of high-income countries. The amount of dietary salt consumed is an important determinant of blood pressure levels and of hypertension risk. |
| High consumption of saturated fat and trans-fats is linked to heart disease, the number one cause of death globally. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010. p.20 | 20 | There is convincing evidence that saturated fat and trans-fat increase the risk of coronary heart disease and that replacement with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat reduces the risk. |
| Dietary trends threaten health in low- and middle-income countries | In developing countries, has increased from 2000 kcal to almost 3000 kcal. | |||
| In low-income countries, unhealthy diet is linked to three of the top ten risk factors causing death: hypertension, high cholesterol, and high blood glucose. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 12 | 12 | (information contained in a table) |
| Lowfruit and vegetable consumption accounts for 2.9% of deaths in low- and middle-income countries | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 17 | 17 | (information contained in a table) |
| Average food energy intake has shifted enormously in the past decades. While in the mid-1960s, 43 per cent of the world’s population lived in countries with average intake of more than 2,200 kcal/day, by 2000 this proportion had more than doubled to reach 90%. | http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y3557e/y3557e06.htm | FAO 2002 World Agriculture: Towards 2015-2030 | none | The proportion of the world's population living in countries with low average food energy intakes has declined dramatically. In the mid-1960s, no less than 57 percent were living in countries with average intakes below 2 200 kcal per day. India and China both came into this category. By 1997-99, although world population had almost doubled to nearly six billion, this proportion had fallen to just 10 percent. |
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): a global emergency - NCDs, a fast-growing epidemic
| Fact as on the factsheet | Link | Source | Page | Original quote |
| NCDs kill 36 million people a year, accounting for nearly 2/3rds of all deaths; They are the most frequent cause of death in most countries of the world. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | Alwan, a et al. Monitoring and surveillance of chronic noncommunicable diseases: progress and capacity in high-burden countries. The Lancet, 2010, 376:1861-1868 cited in World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 9 | A total of 57 deaths occured in the world during 2008; 36 million (63%) were due to NCDs, principally cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respoiratory diseases. And NCDs are the most frequent causes of death in most countries in the Americas, South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranian and the Western Pacific |
| If current trends continue, NCD deaths will increase by 15% over the next decade, reaching 44 million a year | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 9 | NCD deaths are projected to increase by 15% globally between 2010 and 2020 (to 44 million deaths) |
| While infectious disease deaths are projected to decline by about 7 million over the next 20 years, cardiovascular disease and cancer deaths are expected to increase by 10 million. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 11 | Whereas annual infectious disease deaths are projected to decline by around 7 million over the next 20 years, annual cardiovascular disease mortality is projected to increase by 6 million, and annual cancer deaths by 4 million. |
| The World Economic Forum identifies NCDs as a top threat to the global economy | http://www.weforum.org/pdf/globalrisk/globalrisks2010.pdf | World Economic Forum. Global Risks 2010: A global risk network report. P 24. | 24 | Chronic diseases (or non-communicable diseases (NCD)), including: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some chronic lung conditions and preventable cancers) are strongly connected to a number of other global risks: fiscal crises; underinvestment in infrastructure; food, water and energy security. |
| NCDs hit low and middle income countries hardest | ||||
| Nearly four out of five deaths from NCDs (80%) occur in low- or middle-income countries. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 9 | …available data demonstrates that nearly 80% of NCD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. |
| If current trends continue, by 2030 NCDs in low- and middle-income countries will cause FIVE times more deaths than communicable diseases, maternal and newborn death and hunger combined. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2008. The global burden of disease: 2004 update. Cited in World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2011 | 11 | In low- and middle-income countries, NCDs will be responsible for three times as many DALYs and nearly five times as many deaths as communicable diseases, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions combined, by 2030. |
| Even in Africa, the one region where infectious disease still kills more people than NCDs, NCDs are on the rise. If current trends there continue, the toll of NCDs will nearly equal the toll of communicable disease, maternal and newborn death and malnutrition combined in 2030. Already Africa is the region with the highest prevalence of high blood pressure, which is closely related to risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 9 | In the African Region, there are still more deaths from infectious diseases than NCDs. Even there, however, the prevalence of NCDs is rising rapidly and is projected to cause almost three-quartesrs as many deaths as communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional diseases by 2020, and to almost equal them as the most common causes of death by 2030. |
| NCDs kill people at a younger age in low- and middle income countries -- on average 10 years younger than in high-income countries. | http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12815 | Institiute of Medicine. 2010. Promoting Cardiovascular Health in the Developing World.: A critical challenge to achieve global health.Washington: The National Academies Press, 54-55. | 53-55 | Not only do age-adjusted CVD death rates tend to be higher in developing countries, but a significantlz higher percentage of cardiovascular deaths also occur in zounger people in the developing world than in developed countries |
| In a single decade, developing countries are expected to lose 84 billion dollars of productivity from the death and disability caused by NCDs | http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12815 | Institiute of Medicine. 2010. Promoting Cardiovascular Health in the Developing World.: A critical challenge to achieve global health.Washington: The National Academies Press, 137. | 137 | $84 billion of economic production will be lost due to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in 23 high-burden developing countries between 2006 and 2015 |
Obesity: a growing danger - Overweight and obesity - a new epidemic
| Fact as on the factsheet | Link | Source | Page | Original quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Globally, 1.5 billion adults are overweight of which 500 million adults were obese | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | WHO’s latest projections indicate that globally in 2008: approximately 1.5 billion adults (age 20+) were overweight;of these, more than 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese. |
| Nearly 43 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2010 | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | In the past 20 years, the rates of obesity have tripled in developing countries that have been adopting a Western lifestyle involving decreased physical activity and overconsumption of cheap, energy-dense food. |
| Around the world, obesity has more than doubled since 1980. | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | Worldwide, obesity has more than doubled since 1980. |
| Worldwide, overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths than underweight. | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. For example, 65% of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kill more people than underweight (this includes all high-income and most middle-income countries). |
| Overweight and obesity are serious threats to health | ||||
| Overweight and obesity increase the risk of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. | http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. | 9 | The leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure (responsible for 13% of deaths globally), tobacco use (9%), high blood glucose (6%), hysical inactivity (6%) and overweight and obesity (5%). These risks are responsible for raising the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancers. |
| Almost three million deaths a year are attributed to overweight/obesity. | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ | World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight: Factsheet No 311. Updated March 2011. | none | At least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. |
| Overweight and obesity are the fifth highest risk factor for death, ahead of alcohol, unsafe sex, or poor sanitation and water supply. | http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. | 9 | The leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure (responsible for 13% of deaths globally), tobacco use (9%), high blood glucose (6%), physical inactivity (6%) and overweight and obesity (5%). |
| Obese children are more often ill or disabled in adulthood and are likely to die earlier than those of normal weight. | http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood_consequences/en/index.html | World Health Organization, Global strategy on diet and physical activity | none | Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of premature death and disability in adulthood. Overweight and obese children are more likely to stay obese into adulthood and to develop noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. |
| Overweight and obesity are growing heath problems for the poor | ||||
| In the past two decades, obesity rates have tripled in developing countries | siteresources.worldbank.org/INTMENA/Resources/Pressrelease_Riyadh.pdf | World Diabetes Foundation. Obesity and Diabetes - Emerging Major Healthcare Challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean Region | 1 | Over the past 20 years, obesity rates have tripled in developing countries that have been adopting a Western lifestyle involving decreased physical activity and over consumption of cheap, energy-dense food. |
| In 2010, in South Africa, more than two thirds of women were overweight or obese | http://www.iaso.org/policy/aboutobesity/ | International Association for Study of Obesity | In 2004, increased BMI alone was estimated to account for 2.8 million deaths. | |
| More than four in ten people in Colombia and more than a third of the Brazilian population are classed as overweight | www.fao.org/worldfoodsummit/english/fsheets/malnutrition.pdf | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The Spectrum of Malnutrition. | 2 | In Colombia, 41% of the population are overweight; in Brazil, 36%. |
| Physical activity: vital to global health | ||||
| Physical inactivity kills | ||||
| Globally, physical inactivity contributes to some 3.2 million deaths a year and is the fourth highest risk factor for death in the world, ahead of unsafe sex, undernutrition, and alcohol use | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. | 9 | The leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure (responsible for 13% of deaths globally), tobacco use (9%), high blood glucose (6%), hysical inactivity (6%) and overweight and obesity (5%). These risks are responsible for raising the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancers. |
| Physical inactivity causes more than one in four cases of heart disease and of diabetes deaths, and more than one in five cases breast and colon cancer. | http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/pa/en/index.html | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10 | Physical inactivity is estimated as being the principal cause for approximately 21-25% of breast and colon cancer burden, 27% of diabetes and approximately 30% of ischaemic heart disease burden. In addition, NCDs now account for nearlz half of the overall global burden of disease. It is estimated currently that of ervery 10 deaths, 6 are attributable to noncommunicable conditions. |
| Physical activity levels are declining worldwide | ||||
| Globally, over 30 per cent of adults are insufficiently active | http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_inactivity/en/index.html | World Health Organization. Physical Inactivity: A Global Public Health Problem | none | Globally, around 31% of adults aged 15 and over were insufficiently active in 2008 (men 28% and women 34%). Approximately 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity. |
| Around the world, more and more people are physically inactive, including those in developing countries. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599979_eng.pdf | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10 | Levels of physical inactivity are rising in many countries |
| Physical inactivity is not just a problem of the wealthy | ||||
| Of the deaths attributable to physical inactivity, 2.6 million are in low- and middle-income countries. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion. 2011. | none | Around 3.2 million deaths per year, including 2.6 million in low- and middle-income countries, are due to physical inactivity. |
| While physical inactivity is more prevalent in high- and middle-income countries, even in low-income countries it is among the top 10 risk factors contributing to death. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 11 | (information contained in a table) | |
| Physical activity improves health and quality of life | ||||
| Physical activity helps control blood pressure and blood sugar, prevent overweight and obesity, and strengthen bones. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599979_eng.pdf | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10, 52 | Levels of physical inactivity are rising in many countries with major implications for the general health of people worldwide and for the prevalence of NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer and their risk factors such as raised blood pressure, raised blood sugar and overweight. |
| Fit and active children concentrate better; they are more likely to have good test scores and to be successful students. | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20097353 | Roberts CK et al., Low aerobic fitness and obesity are associated with lower standardized test scores in children. The journal of pediatrics. 156(5):711-718. | aerobic fitness is associated with enhanced performance on standardized achievement tests...Mechanistic studies of cognitive function suggest a positive effect of physical activity on intellectual performance | |
| Global dietary changes threaten health | ||||
| Unhealthy diet kills | ||||
| Unhealthy diets are linked to four of the world’s top ten leading risk factors causing death: high blood pressure, high blood glucose, overweight and obesity, and high cholesterol. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 16-17. | 16, 17 | Diet - especially too much salt - alcohol, lack of exercise and obesity all raise blood pressure…Diets high in saturated fat, physical inactivity and genetics can increase cholesterol levels…Changes in diet and reductions in physical activity levels increase resistance to insulin, which, in turn, raises blood glucose...Mean BMI, overweight and obesity are increasing worldwide due to changes in diet and increasing physical inactivity. |
| Inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and some cancers and accounts for some 1.7 million deaths a year | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 20 | Approximately 1.7 million (2.8%) of deaths worldwide are attributable to low fruit and vegetable consumption |
| Dietary salt consumption is an important determinant of blood pressure levels and of overall cardiovascular risk; high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for death around the world. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241500777_eng.pdf | WHO, 2010. Creating an enabling environment for population-based salt reduction strategies: report of a jiont technical meeting held by WHO and the Food Standards Agency, UK. | 4 | High blood pressure is responsible for 13% of deaths globally. The risk of death from high blood pressure in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is more than double that of high-income countries. The amount of dietary salt consumed is an important determinant of blood pressure levels and of hypertension risk. |
| High consumption of saturated fat and trans-fats is linked to heart disease, the number one cause of death globally. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010. p.20 | 20 | There is convincing evidence that saturated fat and trans-fat increase the risk of coronary heart disease and that replacement with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat reduces the risk. |
| Dietary trends threaten health in low- and middle-income countries | In developing countries, has increased from 2000 kcal to almost 3000 kcal. | |||
| In low-income countries, unhealthy diet is linked to three of the top ten risk factors causing death: hypertension, high cholesterol, and high blood glucose. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 12 | 12 | (information contained in a table) |
| Lowfruit and vegetable consumption accounts for 2.9% of deaths in low- and middle-income countries | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 17 | 17 | (information contained in a table) |
| Average food energy intake has shifted enormously in the past decades. While in the mid-1960s, 43 per cent of the world’s population lived in countries with average intake of more than 2,200 kcal/day, by 2000 this proportion had more than doubled to reach 90%. | http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y3557e/y3557e06.htm | FAO 2002 World Agriculture: Towards 2015-2030 | none | The proportion of the world's population living in countries with low average food energy intakes has declined dramatically. In the mid-1960s, no less than 57 percent were living in countries with average intakes below 2 200 kcal per day. India and China both came into this category. By 1997-99, although world population had almost doubled to nearly six billion, this proportion had fallen to just 10 percent. |
Physical activity: vital to global health - Physical inactivity kills
| Fact as on the factsheet | Link | Source | Page | Original quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Globally, physical inactivity contributes to some 3.2 million deaths a year and is the fourth highest risk factor for death in the world, ahead of unsafe sex, undernutrition, and alcohol use | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. | 9 | The leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure (responsible for 13% of deaths globally), tobacco use (9%), high blood glucose (6%), hysical inactivity (6%) and overweight and obesity (5%). These risks are responsible for raising the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancers. |
| Physical inactivity causes more than one in four cases of heart disease and of diabetes deaths, and more than one in five cases breast and colon cancer. | http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/pa/en/index.html | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10 | Physical inactivity is estimated as being the principal cause for approximately 21-25% of breast and colon cancer burden, 27% of diabetes and approximately 30% of ischaemic heart disease burden. In addition, NCDs now account for nearlz half of the overall global burden of disease. It is estimated currently that of ervery 10 deaths, 6 are attributable to noncommunicable conditions. |
| Physical activity levels are declining worldwide | ||||
| Globally, over 30 per cent of adults are insufficiently active | http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_inactivity/en/index.html | World Health Organization. Physical Inactivity: A Global Public Health Problem | none | Globally, around 31% of adults aged 15 and over were insufficiently active in 2008 (men 28% and women 34%). Approximately 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity. |
| Around the world, more and more people are physically inactive, including those in developing countries. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599979_eng.pdf | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10 | Levels of physical inactivity are rising in many countries |
| Physical inactivity is not just a problem of the wealthy | ||||
| Of the deaths attributable to physical inactivity, 2.6 million are in low- and middle-income countries. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion. 2011. | none | Around 3.2 million deaths per year, including 2.6 million in low- and middle-income countries, are due to physical inactivity. |
| While physical inactivity is more prevalent in high- and middle-income countries, even in low-income countries it is among the top 10 risk factors contributing to death. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 11 | (information contained in a table) | |
| Physical activity improves health and quality of life | ||||
| Physical activity helps control blood pressure and blood sugar, prevent overweight and obesity, and strengthen bones. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599979_eng.pdf | World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. ISBN 978 92 4 159 997 9. WHO. 2010. | 10, 52 | Levels of physical inactivity are rising in many countries with major implications for the general health of people worldwide and for the prevalence of NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer and their risk factors such as raised blood pressure, raised blood sugar and overweight. |
| Fit and active children concentrate better; they are more likely to have good test scores and to be successful students. | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20097353 | Roberts CK et al., Low aerobic fitness and obesity are associated with lower standardized test scores in children. The journal of pediatrics. 156(5):711-718. | aerobic fitness is associated with enhanced performance on standardized achievement tests...Mechanistic studies of cognitive function suggest a positive effect of physical activity on intellectual performance | |
| Global dietary changes threaten health | ||||
| Unhealthy diet kills | ||||
| Unhealthy diets are linked to four of the world’s top ten leading risk factors causing death: high blood pressure, high blood glucose, overweight and obesity, and high cholesterol. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 16-17. | 16, 17 | Diet - especially too much salt - alcohol, lack of exercise and obesity all raise blood pressure…Diets high in saturated fat, physical inactivity and genetics can increase cholesterol levels…Changes in diet and reductions in physical activity levels increase resistance to insulin, which, in turn, raises blood glucose...Mean BMI, overweight and obesity are increasing worldwide due to changes in diet and increasing physical inactivity. |
| Inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and some cancers and accounts for some 1.7 million deaths a year | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 20 | Approximately 1.7 million (2.8%) of deaths worldwide are attributable to low fruit and vegetable consumption |
| Dietary salt consumption is an important determinant of blood pressure levels and of overall cardiovascular risk; high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for death around the world. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241500777_eng.pdf | WHO, 2010. Creating an enabling environment for population-based salt reduction strategies: report of a jiont technical meeting held by WHO and the Food Standards Agency, UK. | 4 | High blood pressure is responsible for 13% of deaths globally. The risk of death from high blood pressure in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is more than double that of high-income countries. The amount of dietary salt consumed is an important determinant of blood pressure levels and of hypertension risk. |
| High consumption of saturated fat and trans-fats is linked to heart disease, the number one cause of death globally. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010. p.20 | 20 | There is convincing evidence that saturated fat and trans-fat increase the risk of coronary heart disease and that replacement with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat reduces the risk. |
| Dietary trends threaten health in low- and middle-income countries | In developing countries, has increased from 2000 kcal to almost 3000 kcal. | |||
| In low-income countries, unhealthy diet is linked to three of the top ten risk factors causing death: hypertension, high cholesterol, and high blood glucose. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 12 | 12 | (information contained in a table) |
| Lowfruit and vegetable consumption accounts for 2.9% of deaths in low- and middle-income countries | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 17 | 17 | (information contained in a table) |
| Average food energy intake has shifted enormously in the past decades. While in the mid-1960s, 43 per cent of the world’s population lived in countries with average intake of more than 2,200 kcal/day, by 2000 this proportion had more than doubled to reach 90%. | http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y3557e/y3557e06.htm | FAO 2002 World Agriculture: Towards 2015-2030 | none | The proportion of the world's population living in countries with low average food energy intakes has declined dramatically. In the mid-1960s, no less than 57 percent were living in countries with average intakes below 2 200 kcal per day. India and China both came into this category. By 1997-99, although world population had almost doubled to nearly six billion, this proportion had fallen to just 10 percent. |
Global dietary changes threaten health - Unhealthy diet kills
| Fact as on the factsheet | Link | Source | Page | Original quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unhealthy diets are linked to four of the world’s top ten leading risk factors causing death: high blood pressure, high blood glucose, overweight and obesity, and high cholesterol. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 16-17. | 16, 17 | Diet - especially too much salt - alcohol, lack of exercise and obesity all raise blood pressure…Diets high in saturated fat, physical inactivity and genetics can increase cholesterol levels…Changes in diet and reductions in physical activity levels increase resistance to insulin, which, in turn, raises blood glucose...Mean BMI, overweight and obesity are increasing worldwide due to changes in diet and increasing physical inactivity. |
| Inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and some cancers and accounts for some 1.7 million deaths a year | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010 | 20 | Approximately 1.7 million (2.8%) of deaths worldwide are attributable to low fruit and vegetable consumption |
| Dietary salt consumption is an important determinant of blood pressure levels and of overall cardiovascular risk; high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for death around the world. | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241500777_eng.pdf | WHO, 2010. Creating an enabling environment for population-based salt reduction strategies: report of a jiont technical meeting held by WHO and the Food Standards Agency, UK. | 4 | High blood pressure is responsible for 13% of deaths globally. The risk of death from high blood pressure in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is more than double that of high-income countries. The amount of dietary salt consumed is an important determinant of blood pressure levels and of hypertension risk. |
| High consumption of saturated fat and trans-fats is linked to heart disease, the number one cause of death globally. | http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ | World Health Organization, 2011. Global Status Report on non-communicable disease 2010. p.20 | 20 | There is convincing evidence that saturated fat and trans-fat increase the risk of coronary heart disease and that replacement with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat reduces the risk. |
| Dietary trends threaten health in low- and middle-income countries | In developing countries, has increased from 2000 kcal to almost 3000 kcal. | |||
| In low-income countries, unhealthy diet is linked to three of the top ten risk factors causing death: hypertension, high cholesterol, and high blood glucose. | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 12 | 12 | (information contained in a table) |
| Lowfruit and vegetable consumption accounts for 2.9% of deaths in low- and middle-income countries | www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf | World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. ISBN 978 92 4 156387 1. WHO. 2009. p 17 | 17 | (information contained in a table) |
| Average food energy intake has shifted enormously in the past decades. While in the mid-1960s, 43 per cent of the world’s population lived in countries with average intake of more than 2,200 kcal/day, by 2000 this proportion had more than doubled to reach 90%. | http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y3557e/y3557e06.htm | FAO 2002 World Agriculture: Towards 2015-2030 | none | The proportion of the world's population living in countries with low average food energy intakes has declined dramatically. In the mid-1960s, no less than 57 percent were living in countries with average intakes below 2 200 kcal per day. India and China both came into this category. By 1997-99, although world population had almost doubled to nearly six billion, this proportion had fallen to just 10 percent. |