Unhealthy diet and lifestyle shorten our life expectancy

In the UK, seven in ten deaths are due to diet and lifestyle
Our life expectancy has risen sharply in recent decades. But what aspects of our lives actually have a negative impact on our life expectancy? Researchers have now found that our lifestyle and unhealthy diet are currently the biggest threat to our overall life expectancy.

Researchers at Public Health England found that our diet and lifestyle had a massive impact on life expectancy. About seven out of ten deaths are due to these circumstances. The physicians published the results of the so-called Global Burden of Disease study in the journal "The Lancet".

Today, there are more and more people who reduce their own life expectancy through poor nutrition or an unhealthy lifestyle. A healthier lifestyle could significantly extend life for many people around the world. (Image: eyetronic / fotolia.com)

Researchers analyze the data from the Global Burden of Disease Study
The Global Burden of Disease study found an overall increase in life expectancy in nearly 200 countries. The reasons for this include improvements in hygiene and immunization, say the experts. The study collected data from over 249 causes of death, 315 illnesses and injuries. In addition, 79 other risk factors were investigated in 195 countries between 1990 and 2015.

Poor nutrition and an unhealthy lifestyle endanger our lives
While deaths from infectious diseases such as malaria and the flu have fallen sharply, the rate of death from an unhealthy lifestyle has increased. Some years ago, most countries were still worried about the effects of infections such as HIV, malaria and measles. Today, the effects of poor nutrition and an unhealthy lifestyle are a major threat to our health, says Professor John Newton of Public Health England.

Increase in deaths from non-infectious diseases
Overall, 71.3 percent of deaths in the past year were triggered by non-infectious diseases. This is a massive increase compared to 1990. Here the value was still at 57.6 percent, explain the authors. Such diseases include conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. All of these diseases are influenced by our diet and lifestyle, the researchers add.

High blood pressure is now the biggest risk factor for premature death
The scientists also found that high blood pressure is the biggest risk factor (9 percent) for premature death. This is often triggered by obesity and lack of exercise. Other causes include smoking (6.3 percent), high blood sugar (6.1 percent) and a high body mass index (5 percent).

More and more people are suffering from type 2 diabetes
While there is tremendous progress in the treatment of infectious diseases, there is also an increase in disease, disability, and even death associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, Professor Newton explains. A poor diet, for example, increases diseases such as type 2 diabetes. In the last ten years, an increase of about 60 percent has been observed in this disease. Meanwhile, obesity is on its way to overtaking smoking as the leading cause of cancer, reports the expert.

We need further research and a rethinking of the health system
In the UK, heart disease is the leading cause of death, followed by Alzheimer's and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There have been important advances in reducing deaths among children and mothers. This leads to an extension of the total life expectancy. But in addition to this progress, there are now new health challenges, say the doctors. Some of these challenges require more research and rethinking of our healthcare system. However, some changes would have to be implemented by the citizens themselves to enable a healthier way of life. (As)