Better nutrition lets us live longer
Source: Agencies |
April 11, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
GLOBAL life expectancy has increased sharply from 47 years in 1950-55 to 68 years in 2005-10, the United Nations said on Friday.
The report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said people were living longer mainly because of improvements in nutrition and hygiene and advances in vaccines and medical treatments against infectious and parasitic diseases that are "communicable."
With the decline in mortality more pronounced at younger ages, deaths have become increasingly concentrated at older ages when people are more likely to develop "non-communicable" chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart and respiratory problems, the report said.
Globally, it said, the proportion of deaths at age 60 or over had risen from 26 percent in 1950-55 to 54 percent in 2005-10.
It said the shift from communicable to non-communicable diseases as the main cause of deaths occurred in all world regions except sub-Saharan Africa, where the HIV/AIDS epidemic was widespread and infectious.
The report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said people were living longer mainly because of improvements in nutrition and hygiene and advances in vaccines and medical treatments against infectious and parasitic diseases that are "communicable."
With the decline in mortality more pronounced at younger ages, deaths have become increasingly concentrated at older ages when people are more likely to develop "non-communicable" chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart and respiratory problems, the report said.
Globally, it said, the proportion of deaths at age 60 or over had risen from 26 percent in 1950-55 to 54 percent in 2005-10.
It said the shift from communicable to non-communicable diseases as the main cause of deaths occurred in all world regions except sub-Saharan Africa, where the HIV/AIDS epidemic was widespread and infectious.
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