WHO: Fight against chronic diseases, obesity can use anti-smoking campaigns as models
The Associated Press
Published: September 19, 2006
AUCKLAND, New Zealand People worldwide can now slim down and live healthier, longer lives, but only if governments are determined to push for lifestyle changes, senior officials from the U.N. health agency said Tuesday, citing anti-smoking campaigns as an effective model.
Chronic ailments such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer are the world's No. 1 killers, causing 35 million deaths a year — 60 percent of all deaths worldwide. Globally, 1 billion people are overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organization.
"What we have before us is an overwhelming pandemic of chronic diseases," said Robert Beaglehole, director of the WHO's Geneva-based Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion. "It used to be thought that these were conditions of rich people and rich countries, but now we know in fact that 80 percent of all deaths from chronic disease occur in low- and middle-income countries."
Beaglehole spoke to The Associated Press on the sidelines of the annual weeklong WHO Western Pacific regional meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, which brings together health officials from across the Asia-Pacific to set the organization's strategic agenda for coming years.
Just as countries taxed tobacco and decreased advertising, governments can do the same for sugary drinks and fatty foods, he said. Children and teenagers also can be offered healthy foods in school and encouraged to exercise at the community level.
At the meeting, top health officials from the Asia-Pacific demonstrated their solidarity for decreasing chronic diseases and obesity by bouncing and stretching in synch with an exercise video played on the conference-room screen.
Non-communicable diseases are blamed for seven out of every 10 deaths among the Western Pacific region's 1.8 billion people.
"It is crucial that we not just talk about this issue — that we walk the talk," said Australian Health Secretary Jane Halton. "We are the department of health, and we should practice what we preach."
The WHO is working on recommendations to offer governments on sugar content, salt and fat, said Anders Nordstrom, WHO acting director-general. He said it will take time, but people can change their entire way of thinking about eating and exercise, just as many countries have about smoking.
"I think we've seen some major, major progress (with tobacco). Food is much more difficult," he told the AP. The effort needs to "combine a government policy and government intervention with the engagement of the community as a whole, the teachers and the students themselves, so that they feel like it's actually better to have fruit than to have chocolate bars."
Beaglehole said there already is some hope. New Zealand, for example, has decreased heart disease death rates by two-thirds over the past 30 years.
"We can get on top of this problem," he said.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand People worldwide can now slim down and live healthier, longer lives, but only if governments are determined to push for lifestyle changes, senior officials from the U.N. health agency said Tuesday, citing anti-smoking campaigns as an effective model.
Chronic ailments such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer are the world's No. 1 killers, causing 35 million deaths a year — 60 percent of all deaths worldwide. Globally, 1 billion people are overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organization.
"What we have before us is an overwhelming pandemic of chronic diseases," said Robert Beaglehole, director of the WHO's Geneva-based Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion. "It used to be thought that these were conditions of rich people and rich countries, but now we know in fact that 80 percent of all deaths from chronic disease occur in low- and middle-income countries."
Beaglehole spoke to The Associated Press on the sidelines of the annual weeklong WHO Western Pacific regional meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, which brings together health officials from across the Asia-Pacific to set the organization's strategic agenda for coming years.
Just as countries taxed tobacco and decreased advertising, governments can do the same for sugary drinks and fatty foods, he said. Children and teenagers also can be offered healthy foods in school and encouraged to exercise at the community level.
At the meeting, top health officials from the Asia-Pacific demonstrated their solidarity for decreasing chronic diseases and obesity by bouncing and stretching in synch with an exercise video played on the conference-room screen.
Non-communicable diseases are blamed for seven out of every 10 deaths among the Western Pacific region's 1.8 billion people.
"It is crucial that we not just talk about this issue — that we walk the talk," said Australian Health Secretary Jane Halton. "We are the department of health, and we should practice what we preach."
The WHO is working on recommendations to offer governments on sugar content, salt and fat, said Anders Nordstrom, WHO acting director-general. He said it will take time, but people can change their entire way of thinking about eating and exercise, just as many countries have about smoking.
"I think we've seen some major, major progress (with tobacco). Food is much more difficult," he told the AP. The effort needs to "combine a government policy and government intervention with the engagement of the community as a whole, the teachers and the students themselves, so that they feel like it's actually better to have fruit than to have chocolate bars."
Beaglehole said there already is some hope. New Zealand, for example, has decreased heart disease death rates by two-thirds over the past 30 years.
"We can get on top of this problem," he said.
Fight Obesity