Stats On Health In Australia

Medical reports show that Australians are a healthy nation when compared with other worldwide statistics. However, in a world in which cancer, heart problems and obesity cause hundreds of deaths every second, being one of the healthier nations is not necessarily something to pride about. Cardiovascular disease is Australia's leading death cause, rates of overweight and obesity are rising and more and more people get diagnosed with diabetes. In fact, diabetes is estimated to become the number one cause of death in Australia in the next decade, according to a report released in 2010 by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Australia might register some improvements in the fight against cancer, as number of cancer related deaths has decreased over the last two decades, but they are now confronted with a problem that is today a concern in many countries around the world: obesity. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that, in 2008, as much as 61 percent of adults and 25 percent of children were obese or overweight. Obesity is very dangerous for one's health, contributing to the development of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, to name just a few.

Another concerning fact is that mental illness is becoming more and more frequent. One in five Australians with ages between 16 and 85 suffer from a mental disorder and the rate increases among young people. A quarter of young people, aged between 16 and 24, have a mental illness.

Smoking rates have decreased, but one in six Australians smokes daily. Smoking causes a lot of health problems and is among the most preventable causes of death.

Overall, hospitalization is becoming more frequent. There are today 37 percent more hospitalization cases than there were ten years ago. Also, is now costs 45 percent more to take care of one person than it did a decade ago.

The reality is that there is much room for improvement in the health of Australians. Many of the health conditions that the Australians face could be prevented with a change in the life style. Having a healthier diet and exercising on a regular basis could really make a change in the obesity statistics, it could reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular problems and it could also reduce the diabetes rate.

Research shows that physical exercise could solve a lot of the major health problems that the world faces today. According to the World Health Organization, physical activity reduces the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer. Coronary heart disease causes the largest number of deaths among men aged under 75 years, and breast cancer causes the most among women. Exercising is also key to weight control. Even more, exercising has a beneficial effect on the state of mind, being an efficient way to fight depression and to prevent mental problems. People who go to the gym regularly are also more likely to quit smoking or at least to smoke less.

Fitness is for people of all ages. You can have a personal trainer, go to a boot camp with your friends or co-workers or stop at the gym after work a few times a week. It only takes 30 minutes of personal training, at least three times a week, to increase your life expectancy and to avoid some of the diseases that are killing more and more people every day. Fitness makes the heart stronger, it reduces high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, it helps relieve stress and enables the body to efficiently fight illnesses. Exercising is a way to both prevent and treat medical conditions. A sedentary life robs away people of many beautiful years. Look for a gym or a trainer in your area and change your life style today.

Article written for Executive Results

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