More Effort Needed To Combat Lifestyle Diseases, Says WHO

More Effort Needed To Combat Lifestyle Diseases, Says WHO

September 14, 2007

Fifty-eighth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the
Western Pacific
10-14 September 2007, Jeju, Republic of Korea


    JEJU, Republic of Korea, Sept. 14 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/
-- A significant annual reduction in deaths from
noncommunicable diseases is not going to happen unless
countries and areas adopt a "whole-of-society"
approach to noncommunicable diseases prevention and
control, the World Health Organization said. 

    (Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061102095006-51.jpg )

    Addressing the Regional Committee for the Western
Pacific, WHO Regional Director Shigeru Omi  said that in
order to achieve the goal, "all sectors, from
government to private enterprises, civil society and
communities, will have to work together."  

    In 2005, WHO proposed a global goal of reducing the
projected trend of chronic disease death rates by 2% each
year until 2015. High on the list of chronic diseases are
cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke),
cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and obesity.
 Approximately 17 million people die prematurely each year
as a result of the global epidemic of chronic diseases,
which is the leading cause of death in the world today. 
The vast majority of cases are caused by a small number of
known and preventable risk factors.  Three of the most
important are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and
tobacco use.

    Pacific health ministers had called for local solutions
to strengthen efforts to combat noncommunicable diseases. 
As part of the "whole-of-society" approach, they
urged national leaders to be role models for healthy
lifestyles, including encouraging the population to eat
nutritious local foods.  The health ministers also called
for better strategies to help reduce noncommunicable
diseases.  Strengthening health services that are under
pressure from the growing burden of noncommunicable
diseases is also part of the "whole-of-society"
approach.  In line with this, regional health leaders will
meet in Singapore in November to identify solutions.

    "Unless national interventions are urgently taken
to reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases, 36 million
people will die of these diseases by 2015, nearly half of
them before they turn 70," Dr Omi warned. 

    The Regional Committee for the Western Pacific met in
Jeju to review WHO's work in the Region and to provide
guidance on further work. 


    For more information, please contact:

    World Health Organization
     Ms Marilu Lingad
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Mr Peter Cordingley
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]