Roundup of this week’s international health news.
International health news
- Dementia cases to treble worldwide – Increasing life expectancies in developing countries will contribute to growing dementia rates.
- Majority of drink and drug hospital admissions are in their 40s – Middle aged people at the most at risk from drug and alcohol abuse.
- Air pollution kills at lower than EU guidelines – Evidence suggests exposure to air pollution below the EU recommended levels can still kill.
Health advice
- Healthy eating doesn’t come cheap – Eating the healthiest diet including fresh fruit and veg costs $1.50 more a day than the least healthy diets.
Country health alerts
- Saudi Arabia: Genome mapping project – 100,000 people will have their genetic code mapped to look at genes linked with disease.
- USA: Measles “eliminated” – 50 years after the measles vaccine was introduced experts say measles has been “eliminated” but could still be a risk.
- UK: 600 under-16s start smoking everyday – Teenagers risk damaging their developing lungs as health dangers worsen the younger you start smoking.