Poor Diet, Tobacco Use, Mental Health Disorders Leading Causes Of Death, Disability, Global Burden Of Disease Papers Show

The Guardian: Poor diet is a factor in one in five deaths, global disease study reveals
“Poor diet is a factor in one in five deaths around the world, according to the most comprehensive study ever carried out on the subject. Millions of people are eating the wrong sorts of food for good health. … Five papers on life expectancy and the causes and risk factors of death and ill health have been published by The Lancet medical journal…” (Boseley, 9/14).

NBC News: You Might Be Surprised by What Kills Us
“…The latest look at what is killing people around the world has a lot of good news, however. Infectious diseases such as the AIDS virus and malaria are killing fewer people and childhood death rates have hit a new low, the international team, led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, reported…” (Fox, 9/15).

Reuters: Mental disorders, poor diets, and tobacco make the world sick
“…The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, published on Friday in The Lancet medical journal, found that while life expectancy is increasing, so too are the years people live in poor health. The proportion of life spent being ill is higher in poor countries than in wealthy ones. … Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, which led the study … said a ‘triad of troubles’ — obesity, conflict, and mental illness — is emerging as a ‘stubborn and persistent barrier to active and vigorous lifestyles’…” (Kelland, 9/14).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

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