Salt, sex, booze: Lifestyle killers on the rise
NOW that I have your attention, I must confess that that headline wasn’t mine – I lifted it from last Sunday’s AFP story datelined Paris. Like you and many other readers, I was titillated by the title, and read on.
The original title of this column was: LAST WEEK’S NEWS THAT WASN’T. The AFP article said: – British journal scientists concluded that 79 health hazards contributed to 30.8 million deaths in 2013, 5.7 million more than in 1990.
– Deaths worldwide from high blood pressure and smoking shot up 23 percent since 1990. In 2013, high blood pressure contributed to 10.4 million deaths in 188 countries.
– Smoking was the number two danger for men (4.4 million deaths in 2013; two-thirds lower for women).
– Alcohol was No. 2 killer in Russia and among top 10 risks for men internationally (but not for women, who were most at risk from diet like foods high in salt).
– Diet was the single deadliest factor (high in red meat and sugary drinks and low in fruits and vegetables accounted for 21 percent of deaths in 2013).
– Hunger contributed to deaths of 1.3 million children in 2013 (leading cause of mortality for kids under five).
– India struggles with unsafe water and child malnutrition. In the Middle East and Latin America high body mass index (ratio between a person’s weight and height) was a leading cause of health problems.
– The findings were based on WHO and World Bank reports, and from roughly 1,000 partner scientists in over 100 countries.
– Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationfunded study found that gender and where people live accounted for significant differences in what led them to get sick or die.
– Co-author of the study Ali Mokdad of the University of Washington concludes: “…We are behaving badly… we know very well that smoking kills and that blood pressure is another killer… Nobody risks not changing the oil in their car, but nobody pays the same attention to their own body.”
I missed the three-letter word that was the come-on in the title used, and I had to re-read the AFP article to find it:
The titillating title drew more readership and proves that sex (oops, the S-word leaked out) sells.
Which reminds me of the story about Sultan Abdullah and his eunuch Abdul. The Sultan was rich beyond compare and his palace extended as far as the eye could see. He had a harem exceeding 300. With such a deep selection, Sultan Abdullah couldn’t remember their names.
So, as was his pleasure, he would call for his choice by her number, like, “25!”, and the eunuch Abdul would run and fetch No. 25.
“7!”...And Abdul would run (huff…huff…puff…puff…), and fetch No. 7.
“108” …And Abdul would run (huff…huff…puff…puff…), and fetch No. 108.
Day-in, day-out, that was the routine in the palace.
Sultan Abdullah lived to a ripe old age of 89 years. The faithful Abdul passed away at 29 years.
The morale of the story: It’s not doing it that kills you: …it’s running after it! Grandparents Day was celebrated internationally last September 13. It is a special day to thank them for their love and to recognize their contribution to families and communities.. Here, lolo and lola are given the bonus of sales tax and VAT discounts at restaurants and for purchases of medicine and other items for an effective 33% off. The late Ambassador Greg Abad, a bon homie and raconteur, said that he loved being a grandfather… It was only the thought of being married to a grandmother that bugged him.
DID YOU KNOW DEPT. DOH marked Sept. 9-13 as National Suicide Prevention Week. Curiously, it had only 5 instead of the 7 days of the week, excluding Monday and Tuesday. (Shortening the week, like it shortened the life span.) The Philippine Psychiatric Association said suicide is the ninth leading cause of death among Filipinos. Congratulations to all of us survivors, despite traffic woes which drive us to despair. FEEDBACK: