世界中の早死にの最大の原因は「不健康な食生活」だと研究が明らかにした。
専門家によれば、現在地球上の死亡原因の21%を占めているのは、野菜や果物の不足、また赤身肉や糖分の多い飲み物の過剰な摂取などバランスの悪い食事だ。
研究は、1990年を境に死亡の危険要因が大きく変わったことを明らかにしている。1990年以前の主な死亡要因は「子供と母親の栄養不良」「汚染された水」「衛生」「手を洗わないこと」だった。
しかし、現在多くの人の命を奪っているのは「間違った食事」や「高血圧等」など、予防可能な要因だ。
今回の研究は、国際共同プロジェクト「世界疾病負担」が1990年から2013年にかけて実施した。188カ国で79個の死亡危険要因を調べた結果、最大の死亡要因は、不健康な食生活、高血圧、喫煙、高いBMI値、そして血糖値の上昇であると明らかにした。
2013年には世界中で3,100万人が死亡しており、1990年の2,500万人から大幅に増えている。
研究者たちは、今回の研究がきっかけとなって、人々が生活習慣を改善し、早死にのリスクが減ることを期待している。
研究を主導した、保険指標評価研究所のクリストファー・マレー博士は、「喫煙や不健康な食生活をやめ、大気汚染などの環境リスクへの対策を強化すれば、健康を改善できる可能性は高い」と述べた。
博士はまた、「政策立案者は、今回の研究結果をもとに予防への取り組みや健康政策を打ち出すべき」と、政治面からの取り組みも呼びかけている。
この記事はハフポストUK版に掲載されたものを翻訳しました。
「あなたの寿命を縮める11の方法」
1. 寿命を縮める食べ物を選ぶ(01 of11)
Over the years, there\'s been a lot of debate related to diet and longevity. But most experts agree that a diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates is best. And some studies show that eating a traditional Mediterranean diet can add years to your life. (credit:Shutterstock)
2. コレステロールをチェックしない(02 of11)
Just like high blood pressure, high cholesterol can also increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Therefore it\'s a good idea to have your cholesterol checked to see whether you need to undergo certain lifestyle changes or even possibly take some kind of cholesterol-lowering medication. For more information about cholesterol and saturated fats, go here.\n\nEating certain foods, such as beans, which are rich in fiber and antioxidants, can help lower cholesterol.\n\n (credit:Getty Images)
3. アルコールを、ドラッグや処方薬と一緒に飲む(03 of11)
Even drinking wine with dinner and then taking prescription sleep aides can be a lethal combination. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study found 5.8 percent of people age 50 to 59 used illicit drugs in 2010, up from 2.7 percent in 2002. (credit:Alamy)
4. 糖尿病の検査はしない(04 of11)
The number of Americans with Type 2 diabetes is expected to rise from 30 million today to 46 million by 2030, when one of every four boomers -- 14 million -- will be living with this chronic disease, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
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Untreated diabetes can lead to blindness, amputations and clogged arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes. The test to determine whether you are diabetic is a simple blood test; you should remind your doctor to include it in your annual physical. (credit:Alamy)
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Untreated diabetes can lead to blindness, amputations and clogged arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes. The test to determine whether you are diabetic is a simple blood test; you should remind your doctor to include it in your annual physical. (credit:Alamy)
5. 体重を増やす(05 of11)
More than one out of every three boomers -- more than 21 million -- will be considered obese by 2030. Already, we are the demographic with the highest and fastest-growing rate of obesity. As we age, our metabolism slows down and we burn fewer calories -- if we don\'t alter our eating and exercise patterns, weight gain is inevitable. \n\nObesity can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and a host of other life-threatening ailments. Losing just 10 percent of your body weight has health benefits, so consider that as a goal. (credit:Alamy)
6. 心臓病の兆候を無視する(06 of11)
No chest pain doesn\'t mean no heart attack. Women having heart attacks frequently report experiencing a feeling of indigestion and extreme fatigue, while some men say they feel a fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of the chest, which may spread to the neck, shoulder or jaw. When a diabetic has a heart attack, the pain is often displaced to other areas such as the lower back. (credit:Alamy)
7. 睡眠時間を十分にとらない(07 of11)
Try as you might, you just can\'t stay asleep, right? You pass out before \"60 Minutes\" is over, but then wake up around midnight and count sheep until the alarm goes off. If that sounds like you, you aren\'t alone. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that boomers report not getting enough sleep between one and 13 nights each month.\n\nIs it life-threatening? In itself, no. But as soon as you slip behind the wheel bleary-eyed, you are putting yourself and others at risk. Your reflexes are slower, you pay less attention and you could become one of the more than 100,000 Americans who fall asleep at the wheel and crash each year. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that\'s a conservative estimate, by the way. Driver fatigue results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses. (credit:Alamy)
8. 運動はしない(08 of11)
AARP says the minimum you need to stay healthy are muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week, plus 2.5 hours a week of moderate activity like walking or 75 minutes a week of a more intense activity like jogging. Exercise is also good for your memory: Just one year of walking three times a week can increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that\'s key to memory. (credit:Alamy)
9. なんでも心配する(09 of11)
We\'re talking about stress with a capital S. Boomers are the sandwich generation, caught in the middle of caring for our parents and our children. We were deeply affected by the recession and boomers have the highest rates of depression by age demographic. Unless we unload, we are going to implode. (credit:Alamy)
10. お腹周りを太らせる(10 of11)
It isn\'t just our extra weight; it\'s where we carry it. An excess of visceral fat causes our abdomens to protrude excessively. We call it a \"pot belly\" or \"beer belly\" or if the visceral fat is on our hips and buttocks, we say we are \"apple shaped.\" Cute names aside, scientists now say that body fat, instead of body weight, is the key to evaluating obesity. And guess what? It\'s all bad. (credit:Alamy)
11. 喫煙を続ける(11 of11)
Gallup found that baby boomers between the ages of 44 and 54 reported higher levels of smoking than those immediately younger or those who are older. Hard to imagine that they haven\'t gotten the word yet about the risks cigarettes carry. (credit:Alamy)
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