12.
Progress
From Infectious To Man Made Diseases
Industrialisation has spawned its own health problems. In pre- industrial society there were diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. In modern society, in addition to viral and bacterial diseases, there are hundreds of lifestyle diseases - cancer, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, multiple organ failures etc. Science has miserably failed as far as containment of diseases is concerned.
With the progress of modern science, the general health of masses has only degraded. Of late, several dangerous strains of viruses have surfaced and thanks to global interconnectivity, in matter of days millions can get infected in case of a global outbreak.
With the progress of modern science, the general health of masses has only degraded. Of late, several dangerous strains of viruses have surfaced and thanks to global interconnectivity, in matter of days millions can get infected in case of a global outbreak.
Lifestyle Diseases of New Age
Lifestyle diseases (also called diseases of civilization) refer to ailments which have emerged from modern industrialized life style and diet in last few decades. These include Cancer, Hypertension, Obesity, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, Cirrhosis, Nephritis, Stroke, Asthma, Depression etc.
Lifestyle diseases are a result of an inappropriate relationship of people with their environment. The onset of these lifestyle diseases is insidious, they take years to develop, and once encountered do not lend themselves easily to cure.
The increase in the incidence of the above-mentioned diseases is associated with supposed improvements in people’s lives. People’s lives have got better yet they’ve become more susceptible to some of the most devastating diseases known to man. Main culprit has been the deterioration in nutrition levels of food.
Lifestyle diseases are a result of an inappropriate relationship of people with their environment. The onset of these lifestyle diseases is insidious, they take years to develop, and once encountered do not lend themselves easily to cure.
The increase in the incidence of the above-mentioned diseases is associated with supposed improvements in people’s lives. People’s lives have got better yet they’ve become more susceptible to some of the most devastating diseases known to man. Main culprit has been the deterioration in nutrition levels of food.
Sudden vs. Slow Death
Earlier death was caused by sudden onset conditions. Sudden onset conditions are more easily handled by medicine.
In 1900, the top three causes of death in the Western countries were pneumonia/influenza, tuberculosis, and diarrhea/enteritis. Back then communicable diseases accounted for about 60 percent of all deaths. In 1900, lifestyle diseases like heart disease and cancer were ranked number 6 and 8 respectively.
Since the 1940’s, most deaths in these countries have resulted from heart disease, cancer, and other lifestyle diseases. And, by the late 1990’s, lifestyle diseases accounted for more than 60 percent of all deaths.
In 1900, the top three causes of death in the Western countries were pneumonia/influenza, tuberculosis, and diarrhea/enteritis. Back then communicable diseases accounted for about 60 percent of all deaths. In 1900, lifestyle diseases like heart disease and cancer were ranked number 6 and 8 respectively.
Since the 1940’s, most deaths in these countries have resulted from heart disease, cancer, and other lifestyle diseases. And, by the late 1990’s, lifestyle diseases accounted for more than 60 percent of all deaths.
Epidemiological Transition - From Infectious To Man Made Diseases
This change from infectious diseases to chronic and life style diseases is known as the ‘epidemiological transition’. This was first described in 1971 by Abdel Omran, a professor at the University of North Carolina. Writing in a Quarterly, he drew a map of disease through human history in which he charted this gradual replacement of infectious with chronic, degenerative and man-made diseases.
In 2005, about 58 million people died of life-style diseases around the world. By 2020, it’s projected that lifestyle diseases will be responsible for seven out of every 10 deaths in the world. In Mexico, for example, three-quarters of all deaths are already in this category.
Emergence of Silent Killers
The World Health Organization has warned that more than 270 million people are susceptible of falling victim to lifestyles diseases. Majority of these people are thought to come from the developing countries.
Professor Paul Zimmet, a director of the International Diabetes Institute in Australia says that the world appears to be more preoccupied with AIDS and more recently bird flu, but far bigger killers are being ignored. It’s a time bomb.
The world is just not spending enough money or paying enough attention to deal with this crisis.
Professor Paul Zimmet, a director of the International Diabetes Institute in Australia says that the world appears to be more preoccupied with AIDS and more recently bird flu, but far bigger killers are being ignored. It’s a time bomb.
The world is just not spending enough money or paying enough attention to deal with this crisis.
“Escherichia colia O157:H7 is a relatively new strain of the common intestinal bacteria (no one had seen it before 1980) that thrives in feedlot cattle, 40 percent of which carry it in their gut. Ingesting as few as ten of these microbes can cause a fatal infection; they produce a toxin that destroys human kidneys.”
~Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals