Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Some interesting background info on general health of Chileans..
Source: http://www.latercera.com/contenido/1013_148572_9.shtml
How diseases have changed the Chileans in the last four decades
In the current scenario, lifestyle becomes relevant pathologies such as diabetes, stress and lung cancer.
by D. Gonz?lez / P. Sep?lveda - 28/06/2009 - 13:40
In the 70s, the chances of dying from pneumonia or measles reached 30%. Typhoid fever, for example, 56 people died per 100 thousand. Something new today. There were times when the average life expectancy of 63 years.
Four decades later, the picture is different. 26% of adults have hypertension, obesity, excess blood sugar and high cholesterol. And live up to 78 years.
These are not changes from day to day. As Paula explains BEDREGAL, epidemiologist of the Department of Public Health at the U. Catholic and he has ran the last study Burden of Disease of the Ministry of Health in Chile has been an epidemiological transition.
In the 70('s) experienced a transformation in the profile of disease, mainly by changes in lifestyle. This can be explained, first, by a diet that provides 50% more fat in the last 20 years. Then if you had in 70 a car for every 30 people, today there is a car every six people, which impacts on the sedentary nature of today is 90%.
In addition, today we live longer and therefore are pathologies associated with aging. Finally, experts say, our immune system reacts differently.
THE TRANSFORMATION
40 years ago, the leading causes of death were infectious diseases (30% of deaths) and respiratory system. Ariel Lara Castro, chemical pharmaceutical and epidemiologist from the U. of Chile explained that illnesses such as pneumonia, infections of the newborn, enterocolitis, including decreased to represent only 3% in 2000.
As a developing country today, however, we are at the stage of postransici?n: many non-communicable diseases and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Environmental factors such as obesity, present in 65% of Chileans, and stress (37%) are those who argue such diseases, said BEDREGAL.
NEW DEFENSE
The response of our immune system has also changed. -Transmissible diseases which are contagious, are controlled enough, unless new players emerge, as in the case of hanta and human influenza. This is because our defenses have become accustomed to the evils that have been created and new medical technologies, such as vaccines.
Another factor is the "excess" of hygiene, which reduces contact with substances that cause allergies, like dust. BEDREGAL said that this affects the children today have no defenses to them. This change causes increased allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma, and it shows the current prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms, which reaches 21% in the general population.
Child malnutrition in 1970 affected 19.3% of children under six years. It was a concern of state and fight for whole milk was delivered in hospitals and health posts, and created programs for school breakfasts and lunches in all schools. Today, that figure was a roll: 19.4% of children entering the first core are obese and focus efforts to reduce those figures.
The leading cause of death among Chileans today are cardiovascular disease (23%). The increase in life expectancy is explained, says Castro. The same is true in the case of Down syndrome, which from 1972 to 2005 increased from a rate of 1.03 to 5.2 per thousand births, associated with delayed childbearing.
LO QUE VIENE
Environmental factors such as smoking, obesity and excess salt, if held, will maintain the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes and that increases the metabolic syndrome. In terms of health, there are certain variables that trigger the mental illness and that characterize our society, such as violence, economic inequality and the high stress level. These, if not change, will continue to maintain the high prevalence of depression, for example.
Source: http://www.latercera.com/contenido/1013_148572_9.shtml
How diseases have changed the Chileans in the last four decades
In the current scenario, lifestyle becomes relevant pathologies such as diabetes, stress and lung cancer.
by D. Gonz?lez / P. Sep?lveda - 28/06/2009 - 13:40
In the 70s, the chances of dying from pneumonia or measles reached 30%. Typhoid fever, for example, 56 people died per 100 thousand. Something new today. There were times when the average life expectancy of 63 years.
Four decades later, the picture is different. 26% of adults have hypertension, obesity, excess blood sugar and high cholesterol. And live up to 78 years.
These are not changes from day to day. As Paula explains BEDREGAL, epidemiologist of the Department of Public Health at the U. Catholic and he has ran the last study Burden of Disease of the Ministry of Health in Chile has been an epidemiological transition.
In the 70('s) experienced a transformation in the profile of disease, mainly by changes in lifestyle. This can be explained, first, by a diet that provides 50% more fat in the last 20 years. Then if you had in 70 a car for every 30 people, today there is a car every six people, which impacts on the sedentary nature of today is 90%.
In addition, today we live longer and therefore are pathologies associated with aging. Finally, experts say, our immune system reacts differently.
THE TRANSFORMATION
40 years ago, the leading causes of death were infectious diseases (30% of deaths) and respiratory system. Ariel Lara Castro, chemical pharmaceutical and epidemiologist from the U. of Chile explained that illnesses such as pneumonia, infections of the newborn, enterocolitis, including decreased to represent only 3% in 2000.
As a developing country today, however, we are at the stage of postransici?n: many non-communicable diseases and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Environmental factors such as obesity, present in 65% of Chileans, and stress (37%) are those who argue such diseases, said BEDREGAL.
NEW DEFENSE
The response of our immune system has also changed. -Transmissible diseases which are contagious, are controlled enough, unless new players emerge, as in the case of hanta and human influenza. This is because our defenses have become accustomed to the evils that have been created and new medical technologies, such as vaccines.
Another factor is the "excess" of hygiene, which reduces contact with substances that cause allergies, like dust. BEDREGAL said that this affects the children today have no defenses to them. This change causes increased allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma, and it shows the current prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms, which reaches 21% in the general population.
Child malnutrition in 1970 affected 19.3% of children under six years. It was a concern of state and fight for whole milk was delivered in hospitals and health posts, and created programs for school breakfasts and lunches in all schools. Today, that figure was a roll: 19.4% of children entering the first core are obese and focus efforts to reduce those figures.
The leading cause of death among Chileans today are cardiovascular disease (23%). The increase in life expectancy is explained, says Castro. The same is true in the case of Down syndrome, which from 1972 to 2005 increased from a rate of 1.03 to 5.2 per thousand births, associated with delayed childbearing.
LO QUE VIENE
Environmental factors such as smoking, obesity and excess salt, if held, will maintain the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes and that increases the metabolic syndrome. In terms of health, there are certain variables that trigger the mental illness and that characterize our society, such as violence, economic inequality and the high stress level. These, if not change, will continue to maintain the high prevalence of depression, for example.