New Taipei City has higher incidences of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases than any other area in the nation, a report released by the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) yesterday showed, due to residents’ use of alcohol, tobacco and lack of regular exercise.
The report is an interpretation of data collected among people aged 18 and above in 2013, which examined the prevalence among the population of smoking, obesity, binge drinking and regular exercise — the four factors that have the most impact on cardiovascular health.
Cities and counties were given one to four red dots — with four representing the poorest health — in accordance with their residents’ data in each of the four categories.
New Taipei City was ranked as the most risky place overall for diabetes and cardiovascular problems with 14 red dots, receiving four dots for smoking, drinking alcohol and lack of exercise. It was followed by Taitung and Hualien counties, which tied for second place with 13 dots.
Rounding out the top five were Yilan County and Keelung City, which both received 12 dots.
“Unhealthy lifestyles have been associated with increased risks from the so-called diseases of civilization — such as diabetes and heart conditions. Common risk factors include a lack of physical activity, unhealthy dietary habits, obesity, smoking, drinking and betel-nut chewing,” HPA’s Aging and Chronic Disease Control Division interim director Lin Li-ju (林莉茹) said.
Lin attributed New Taipei City’s poor showing to its relatively large number of socially and financially disadvantaged people.
However, it was worth noting that the city’s age-standardized death rate for cardiovascular diseases was among the five lowest rates in the country, Lin said, adding that the agency would offer more tangible and financial assistance to the city to help it further its health promotion efforts.
HPA Director-General Chiou Shu-ti (邱淑媞) said all of the nation’s 22 cities and counties’ mortality rates for cardiovascular disease have been on the decline.
“Nevertheless, the rates among Taiwanese aged between 30 and 70 in 2008 were 99.2 people per 100,000, representing 23rd position within the 34 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, suggesting there is still ample room for improvement,” Chiou said.
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