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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Changing lifestyles take the toll

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SAMUEL KUTTY -


MUSCAT, FEB. 3 -


Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated mainly with changing lifestyle are now emerging as new health challenges for the Sultanate.


Globally, 16 million NCD deaths occur before the age of 70, while 82 per cent of these “premature” deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.


The World Health Organization projected that there would be around 20 million deaths due to CVDs in 2015.


The four main NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes. In Oman, NCDs account for approximately 68 per cent of total deaths. Of these deaths, CVDs account for 33 per cent, diabetes and cancer account for 10 per cent each, and chronic respiratory diseases account for 2 per cent.


In total, 18 per cent of 30 to 70-year-olds in Oman have a high probability of dying from these four NCDs.


According to Dr Adhra al Mawali, Director of Studies & Research Centre, Ministry of Health, ageing, rapid unplanned urbanisation, and unhealthy lifestyles are risk factors for these diseases.


“Globalisation has led to unhealthy lifestyles, which manifest in individuals as raised blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated blood lipids, and obesity”, she says in a report.


The ministry has already launched National Health Surveys 2017 for creating a national database of NCDs and their determinants.


According to Dr Adhra, the survey will help achieving leadership in the epidemiological and intrusive research, and developing evidence-based policies, strategies and legislations.


“Tobacco use, physical inactivity, alcohol abuse and unhealthy eating all increase the risk of dying from a NCDs. Genetics and cancer-associated infections are other known risk factors”, Dr Adhra says.


More than 10 per cent of youth in the age group of 13 to 15 use tobacco products, (of this 16 per cent are boys and 5 per cent girls), while 12 per cent have been affected by passive smoking.


The annual per capita average consumption of pure alcohol in those aged over 15 is 0.9 litres (1.2L in males and 0.4L in females). The prevalence of insufficient physical activity in adolescents is 84 per cent (77 per cent in boys and 90 per cent in girls).


Raised blood pressure in adults is seen in 25 per cent of the population (27 per cent in males and 22 per cent in females), while obesity is seen in 21 per cent of the population (19 per cent in males and 24 per cent in females).


Hypertensive heart diseases are the main form of all CVDs in Oman (accounting for 71 per cent) while ischaemic heart disease is the foremost cause of CVDs death globally.


The incidence of acute coronary syndrome among Omanis is one of the highest in the world with a crude incidence rate of 338.9 per 100,000 person-years.


This could be attributed to the changing lifestyles of Omanis and hence greater susceptibility to cardiovascular risk factors. Individuals with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, a family history of CHD, dyslipidemia, and those working in sedentary occupations were found to have a high risk of CHD.


“There is also a need to standardize methodologies and to improve national reporting and early prevention efforts. Primary and secondary prevention efforts are vital to decrease mortality rates in the middle-aged and beyond”, Dr Adhra adds in the report.


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