The Current Global State of Key Lifestyle Characteristics: Health and Economic Implications

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Abstract

The chronic disease crisis we currently face must be addressed in rapid fashion. Cardiovascular (CV) and pulmonary diseases, diabetes as well as several forms of cancer are leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. Collectively, these conditions have a significant impact on the quality of life of individuals, families and communities, placing an unsustainable burden on health systems. There is hope for the chronic disease crisis in that these conditions are largely preventable or can be delayed to much later in life through a timeless medicine, healthy living. Specifically, physical activity (PA), healthy nutrition, not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight, the latter of which being predominantly influenced by PA and nutrition, are the key healthy living medicine (HLM) ingredients. Unfortunately, there is much work to be done, the unhealthy living phenotype is running rampant across the globe. Without improvements in PA, nutrition, tobacco use and body habitus patterns, there is little hope for curtailing the chronic disease epidemic that has been brought about by the dramatic increase in unhealthy living behaviors. This review highlights current trends in lifestyle behaviors, benefits associated with reversing those behaviors and potential paths to promote the increased utilization of HLM.

Section snippets

Current global state of unhealthy living behaviors and recognition of the crisis

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases, including ischemic heart disease and stroke, breast, colon and rectal cancer plus type 2 diabetes mellitus. In fact, physical inactivity is viewed as a major health crisis and a global pandemic.14 As an example, Fig 1, illustrates the pathophysiologic mechanisms precipitated by physical inactivity that leads to the development of one or more chronic diseases.24 In 2010, some 23% of adults (over 18 years) and 80% of

The health and economic impact of unhealthy living characteristics

Chronic diseases are the major cause of death and disability globally; the unhealthy lifestyle behaviors referenced above are a primary contributor to this chronic disease burden.50 For example, physical inactivity is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide51 and has a staggering impact on health. An estimated one in ten premature deaths (based on life expectancy estimates) from CVD and one in six deaths from any cause are attributed to physical inactivity.52 Other projections

Increasing the healthy living phenotype: the way forward

Accordingly, if modified, improvements in these unhealthy living behaviors could translate to a significant reduction in the impact of chronic diseases.62 Given the almost invisible nature of the chronic disease epidemic and the increasing burden, the WHO25 has highlighted both the epidemic's impediment to economic development in many countries and contribution to poverty and inequality.

The fact that all risk factors for the major chronic diseases are modifiable and very cost-effective bodes

Conclusions

The collective health and economic costs of chronic diseases are unsustainable and necessitate bold and urgent policy and practice changes globally. The current global state of unhealthy living behaviors is disconcerting, unreliably linked to the chronic disease crisis and requires continued vigilance to reverse current trends and alter future health and economic projections. Recognizing that the key risk factors for chronic diseases (i.e., physical inactivity, poor nutrition, overweight and

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose.

Statement of conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest of any of the listed authors.

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      Of similarly high priority is the need to explore approaches to redress the common decline in PA evident in many adolescent girls and thereby decreasing their risk for poor health outcomes such as obesity and related NCDs.15,30 A major challenge globally to reverse the substantial physical inactivity seen in many populations,31 is to design PA back into the habitual lifestyle patterns of individuals,15,32–34 particularly helping the least active to change from a sedentary to more active lifestyle.35,36 Thompson and Eijsvogels37 contend that the most important message from the latest PA guidelines11 is that the greatest health benefits accrue by moving from no, to small amounts of PA.

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    Statement of Conflict of Interest: see page 427.

    Disclosures: None.

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