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Life expectancy shortened Posted Feb 2, 2010
The global life expectancy average could be nearly
five years higher if key health risk factors were addressed, the
World Health Organization said in study published Tuesday.
Childhood underweight, unsafe sex, alcohol use, lack of clean
water, sanitation and hygiene, and high blood pressure are
responsible for one-quarter of the 60 million deaths estimated to
occur annually, according to the WHO report, entitled Global Health
Risks.
The study lists 24 factors affecting health, ranging from air
pollution to poor nutrition, and includes issues like tobacco use and
alcohol abuse. The WHO said a mix of risk factors was usually behind
premature deaths.
At the global level, overweight and obesity cause more deaths than
underweight, the study found, though in poor countries nutritional
deficiencies prevent one in 38 newborns from reaching the age of
five.
In 2004, a total of 10.4 million children died, mostly in the non-
industrialized countries, with over a third of the fatalities due to
nutritional issues and preventable environmental risks.
Date: Oct 2009
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