Recently, a large study published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet deserves a great deal of national attention. The study, led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, gave the top 10 factors that caused health loss in each country and region by analyzing and evaluating health data from 1990 to 2013 for 188 countries and regions around the world, including China. Among them, high blood pressure, high salt diet, and eating too little fruit became the top 10 factors of health loss for Chinese residents, and some good habits that we once threw away are now bad factors that cause disease and reduce life expectancy.
Number one: high blood pressure
According to the study, from 1990 to 2013, the number of deaths from hypertension has increased by 49.1% globally, and in China it is even more serious, increasing by 81.3%, becoming the first risk factor for death. Wang Peiyu, vice president of Peking University School of Public Health, told the Life Times that the biggest danger of hypertension is that it can easily induce coronary heart disease and stroke, two diseases with high mortality rates. 54% of myocardial infarction deaths and 71% of stroke deaths in China are related to hypertension.
Wang Xian, director of the Department of Cardiology at Beijing Dongzhimen Hospital, pointed out that the high incidence of hypertension in China is related to the high salt diet, the increasing number of overweight and obese people, the high tension and fatigue of life, as well as the low level of public awareness of hypertension, the low control rate, the low rate of compliance and the lack of national policy support.
Expert advice: Wang Xian pointed out that the prevention and control of hypertension should bear in mind three points: 1. eat less salt, each person within 6 grams per day; 2. adhere to a low-fat diet, control the intake of animal food and cooking oil; 3. ensure that exercise 5 times a week, each time more than 30 minutes, to walk, jogging, cycling, swimming and other aerobic exercise is appropriate. Children and adolescents should also pay attention to blood pressure monitoring and prevention.
Number two: smoking
Studies have shown that the number of deaths from smoking in China is still about 7% higher than the world average over a 23-year period, with the number of deaths from smoking among women declining by 8%, but the number of deaths from smoking among men increasing by 55.2%. Studies have confirmed that smoking and secondhand smoke can harm almost all organs, and the onset of cardiovascular disease, tumors, and chronic respiratory diseases are all related to tobacco.
Liu Yining, director of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the PLA General Hospital, pointed out that although tobacco control and cessation have been a major concern, China’s traditional “smoking culture” has not significantly reduced the smoking rate over the years. And smoking groups are increasingly younger, smokers too long smoking age and other status quo, have led to an increase in related diseases.
Expert advice: Wang Peiyu pointed out that the creation of a smoke-free environment, not only by “quit smoking order”, but also need to take the initiative to recognize the harm of smoking people, avoid the elderly and children at home, never smoke in public places, and actively quit smoking. Liu also suggested raising tobacco taxes and popularizing smoking cessation clinics to form public pressure in society that smoking is shameful.
Third place: high salt diet
Sodium is one of the essential nutrients, but studies have found that the risk of death from a high-sodium diet is rising year by year in China and is higher than the global average. The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommends that the daily salt intake of adults over 18 years of age should be limited to 6 grams, but the average daily salt intake per person in China is 10.5 grams, which is almost twice the recommended amount. Excessive sodium intake has become the main cause of elevated blood pressure and poor kidney metabolic function.
Chen Xiafei, chief physician of the Department of Nutrition at Shanghai East China Hospital, said that the high salt diet of Chinese people has a lot to do with their cooking style. First of all, the national cooking like to add MSG, soy sauce and other seasonings and sauces, these are sodium “big”; secondly, compared to the Western diet, China’s dishes like stir-fry fried and other heavy practices, resulting in excessive salt; again, sausages, bacon, pickles, processed foods and other popular cuisine also contains a lot of salt.
Expert advice: Chen Xiafei suggested that usually more cooking methods such as steaming, vinegar to replace MSG, soy sauce and other seasonings, eat less pickled food, reduce the number of meals out, more home to eat.
Fourth place: too little fruit to eat
The study pointed out that China’s residents fruit intake is decreasing trend, compared with 2002, 2010 ~ 2012 per person daily fruit intake from 45 grams per day to 40.7 grams, fresh vegetable intake from 276.2 grams per day to 269.4 grams. 2013 due to insufficient fruit intake led to 1.04 million deaths, the risk of death of men is 35% higher than that of women. According to the World Health Organization, low fruit and vegetable intake is responsible for about 19% of gastrointestinal cancers, 31% of ischemic heart disease and 11% of strokes worldwide.
With better living conditions, fruit and vegetable intake is declining rather than rising. According to Huo Junsheng, a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition and Health of the Chinese CDC, the reason for this is, firstly, that fruits and vegetables, as fresh food, are more costly to produce, preserve, supply and consume than processed foods that are easy to store and carry, and are not easily available in many seasons; secondly, children and men prefer foods with high energy density, while fruits and vegetables have low energy density, resulting in their consumption being small; once again, food worldwide is moving toward quick and The development of convenience, resulting in the traditional way of fruit and vegetable intake by the cold.
Expert advice: the daily intake of fruits and vegetables can be summarized as “half a catty of fruit and a catty of vegetables”. “A catty of vegetables” refers to the weight before cooking, after cooking is also two small bowls, can be divided into three meals eaten. Bananas, kiwi fruit, etc. eat two or three is enough for half a catty; pears, apples and other larger fruits a sufficient. Can also family as a unit, to protect the intake of each member, such as a family of three a day to buy about 3 pounds of vegetables, 1 ½ pounds of fruit, eaten in a day. It is usually best to put the fruit within easy reach, easy to get; different colors of fruits and vegetables to eat, the more colors, the richer the intake of nutrients; priority to local, seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Fifth place: atmospheric particulate pollution
Studies show that over 23 years, the number of deaths caused by atmospheric particulate pollution in China rose 59.3%, and in 2013 alone, about 910,000 people died as a result. Zhang Jinliang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, pointed out that atmospheric particulate pollution mainly comes from automobile exhaust, industrial waste gas, construction dust, restaurant fumes, etc.. Studies have found that these particulate matter can adsorb toxic components in the air, endangering health and increasing the risk of lung cancer. “Our large population base, high density, and small forest cover make us more exposed to harmful environments.”
Expert advice: on hazy days it is recommended that we reduce travel and wear N95 masks when traveling, but don’t wear them for more than 30 minutes. When the outdoor air quality is bad, don’t open windows in the morning and evening to ventilate, and avoid smoking indoors. Zhang Jinliang said that reducing air pollution is everyone’s responsibility, calling on everyone to travel low-carbon.
Sixth place: indoor air pollution
Indoor air pollution from solid fuels is still a major factor in deaths, but happily, it is the only one of the top 10 factors that has been on a downward trend for 23 years. The data shows a 24.7 percent decrease in the number of deaths caused by it. Zhang Jinliang said that indoor air pollution from solid fuels mainly refers to carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and harmful organic matter from incomplete combustion of coal, wood and straw. Wang Peiyu also said that the smoke released by incomplete combustion may induce asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even cancer. At present, the situation of burning coal and firewood in households has decreased, but still exists in rural areas. In addition, cooking fumes, home furnishings, furniture may release harmful gases, increasing the risk of respiratory diseases, blood diseases and even tumors.
Expert advice: further increase the action of changing furnaces and stoves in rural areas and introducing clean energy in cities. Wang Peiyu reminded that indoor fuel should be selected from clean energy, the purchase of environmentally friendly home furnishings, furniture.
Seventh place: high body mass index
The size of the body mass index (height divided by weight squared) means whether overweight or obese. 1990 to 2013, obesity jumped into the top ten health loss factors of the country, the number of deaths rose 114%. In 2013 alone, there were about 640,000 deaths due to obesity, especially in men.
Wu Xueyan, professor of endocrinology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said that “eating oil and moving less” is the main reason for the high rate of obesity, especially in recent years, the diet of Chinese people has become more and more westernized and fast food, high oil and high fat, coupled with sedentary and little movement, resulting in the slow accumulation of fat in the body. In addition, stress, lack of sleep will change the human hormone secretion, inducing obesity.
Expert advice: Wu Xueyan suggested that keep in mind four points to help control weight: eat less or no high-calorie foods, such as fried foods, carbonated beverages, etc.; pay attention to the regularity of meals, to avoid hunger a full meal and overeating; avoid sedentary; pay attention to the order of eating, soup before meals, followed by food, and then eat, with low-calorie food to fill the stomach.
Eighth place: high fasting blood sugar
Studies show that during 23 years, the number of deaths in China due to high fasting blood sugar increased by 95.2%, and in 2013 alone, the number reached 620,000. In general, the normal value of fasting blood sugar and postprandial blood sugar should be controlled within 5.6 mmol/L and 7.8 mmol/L respectively. High blood sugar not only reduces the quality of life, but also causes fatal complications.
Wu Xueyan said that the main reason for the surge of hyperglycemic people in China are three points: first, a high-fat diet, increasing the metabolic burden on the body, resulting in high fasting blood sugar the next morning; second, the national diet structure, white rice, white steamed bread and other refined grains intake too much, less intake of coarse grains; third, obesity leads to strong insulin resistance in the liver, affecting the role of insulin to lower blood sugar.
Expert advice: weight control, strengthen exercise is very critical. Each meal to eat seven or eight minutes full can, should adhere to the daily exercise half an hour, and try to keep themselves in a good mood. He also reminded that we should regularly monitor blood sugar, high blood sugar and diabetes patients should be promptly consulted and follow medical advice.
Ninth place: drinking alcohol
The study pointed out that over the past 23 years, the number of deaths from alcohol consumption in China has increased by 30.2%, with the majority of men. 590,000 people died from alcohol consumption in 2013, with men accounting for 83%. Chen Xiafei pointed out that “persuasion” makes it difficult for people to control the “bottle of wine”, many people overdose once they get to the table. In addition, many people only know that alcohol abuse is harmful, but the amount and specific hazards of knowledge is insufficient.
Expert advice: appropriate wine, beer and other health benefits, but liquor and other highly concentrated wine does not have any nutrition, to drink less or do not drink. Women’s daily alcohol intake should be controlled at 15 grams, men do not exceed 25 grams. Also called on the relevant departments to introduce policies to prohibit the sale of alcohol to teenagers.
Tenth: eating too little roughage
Studies show that from 1990 to 2013, the intake of cereals in China has become less and less, resulting in 460,000 deaths in 2013, which is the “latest in the list” of risk factors for death. Whole grains are foods that retain a portion of their bran during processing and are rich in fiber and multivitamins, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and colon cancer, among other diseases.
Chen Xiafei said that in the 1990s, when China was materially deprived, the diet was mainly based on coarse grains, but after affluence, good eating habits were lost. “Large fish and meat to eat white rice” damage to health, “coarse grains of fine work” is destroyed its own nutritional value.
Expert advice: the country should return to traditional eating habits, staple food intake to consciously add corn, millet, brown rice, buckwheat, oats, sorghum, sweet potatoes, etc., the daily intake of coarse grains is best to account for the total amount of staple foods 1 / 3.