International Health News
Experts claim that nearly half of all adults living with diabetes are unaware they have the disease. Doctors are urging their patients to go for regular screenings to ensure that they are diagnosed before the disease has any chance to do any long-term damage. Most of the people who live with the illness but are unaware of it tend to suffer from type 2 diabetes, which can be developed at any age and is caused by poor lifestyle choices.
Experts at the Fourth Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Vancouver, Canada, have called for global leaders to create stronger and more resilient health systems. More than 2,000 health experts have gathered this week to examine the challenges facing global health systems, and explore the measures that need to be put in place to help support them. These days health systems are under more pressure than ever due to disease outbreaks, such as Zika and Ebola, and the increasing number of people who suffer from long-term chronic conditions.
Life expectancy for Europeans is set to increase by 2 years by the year 2030, putting the average life expectancy at 78. However, cases of diabetes are also set to increase by 34% in the next 15 years and coronary artery disease is predicted to be the biggest killer, estimated to claim over 1.9 million lives in Europe alone. The increasing impact of these illnesses has been attributed to poor lifestyle choices and the inevitable repercussions of an aging population.
Country updates
After Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election last week, one of the questions at the forefront of everyone’s minds are the changes he will make to the healthcare system. Having long been a critic of the Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare), many are waiting to hear exactly how the Republicans plan to replace it. Throughout his campaign Trump promised to cut certain provisions that are currently provided through Obamacare, such as birth control and treatment for pre-existing conditions, which are also often excluded from standard health insurance plans and are too expensive for many Americans to afford.
Health Advice
With cases of heart disease and high blood pressure on the rise, taking care of your heart has never been more important and it only takes 50 minutes of gentle exercise a week to drastically improve your heart’s health. Eating whole grain foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables can also go a long way in preventing heart problems at a later stage.