Mediterranean
Although the diet is not low in fat – the principal one being olive oil – it is linked to lower rates of heart disease.
Source: CNN
Japan
– The Japanese have the longest life expectancy. This could partly be due to low cholesterol levels in their traditional diet, which is almost devoid of saturated fats.
– Popular ingredients in a Japanese diet include fish, seaweed, tofu, soya beans, rice and soba noodles.
Source: www.naturalelixir.com
Mexico
Mexicans drink more cola than milk.
Source: www.naturalelixir.com
Italy
There are only 290 McDonald’s restaurants in Italy. This compares with 1,115 McDonald’s restaurants in the UK, and 12,804 in the US.
Source: www.nationmaster.com
UK
– Nearly five million working days were lost through bad backs in 2003-04.
Source: www.backcare.org
– Smoking is the greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer; it causes more than 25% of cancers in the UK.
– Tobacco-related illness costs the UK economy £1.28bn each year.
Source: Cancer Research UK/World Health Organisation
Finland
A new study from Finland reveals that an increase in physical activity during commuting hours – walking or cycling to work – lowers the risk of all types of stroke.
Source: European Netw
Australia
The annual cost of time off work among Telecom Australia employees in 1994 due to tobacco-related illness was £7.11m, and £2.37m due to alcohol-related illness. The cost to the Australian economy of tobacco-related illness is £2.58bn every year.
Source: World Health Organisation
China
Smoking costs the Chinese economy £3.5bn a year. One-third of cigarettes smoked in the world today are smoked in China.
Source: World Health Organisation
Germany
Smoking costs the German economy £8.38bn each year.
Source: World Health Organisation
India
– India, Brazil, China, Turkey and the US produce two-thirds of the world’s tobacco. However, unlike the others, India has one of the lowest cigarette consumption rates per person in the world.
– Seven bidis (hand-rolled cigarettes that are stronger and cheaper than manufactured ones) are sold for every one cigarette in India.
Source: World Health Organisation
US
– Smoking accounted for more than 6% of total healthcare expenses in the US in 1999 – a total of £43.35bn.
– Workplace smoking costs the US 26.8bn every year.
– In 2001, the average number of days off sick in the US for smokers was 6.16, for ex-smokers it was 4.53, and for non-smokers it was 3.86.
– Cigarette butts account for 20% of all rubbish collected in the US.
Source: World Health Organisation
World
More than 15 billion cigarettes are smoked worldwide every day.
Source: World Health Organisation
For more health stats, go to www.personneltoday.com/32191.article
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