Apathy Aside, Six Factors to Reducing Global Health Risks
The biggest threat to global health and wellness can be narrowed down to six, preventable non-communicable diseases: respiratory illness from tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, salt intake, high blood pressure and blood sugar, and obesity. According to a May 2014 Lancet study, if nations could reduce target levels for these lifestyle related diseases in the next 25 years, 37 million early deaths would be prevented. But by not reaching these targets, an additional 10.5 million deaths would occur as compared to the 28.3 million who died in 2010. And while experts say this could be possible, critics say apathy from leadership is the biggest obstacle to achieving the desired target.
