Developing regions carry a disproportionately heavy burden for communicable diseases and injuries.
The largest overall difference between WHO regions was in infectious diseases. The total number of healthy life years lost per capita as a result of environmental burden per capita was 15-times higher in developing countries than in developed countries. The environmental burden per capita of diarrhoeal diseases and lower respiratory infections was 120- to 150-times greater in certain WHO developing country subregions as compared to developed country subregions. These differences arise from variations in exposure to environmental risks and in access to health care.
No overall difference between developed and developing countries in the fraction of noncommunicable disease attributable to the environment was observed.
… However, in developed countries, the per capita impact of cardiovascular diseases and cancers is higher.
The number of healthy life years lost from cardiovascular disease, as a result of environmental factors, was 7-times higher, per capita, in certain developed regions than in developing regions, and cancer rates were 4-times higher. Physical inactivity is a risk factor for various noncommunicable diseases including ischaemic heart disease, cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, and diabetes mellitus. It has been estimated that in certain developed regions such as North America, physical inactivity levels could be reduced by 31% through environmental interventions, including pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly urban land use and transport, and leisure and workplace facilities and policies that support more active lifestyles.
The largest overall difference between WHO regions was in infectious diseases. The total number of healthy life years lost per capita as a result of environmental burden per capita was 15-times higher in developing countries than in developed countries. The environmental burden per capita of diarrhoeal diseases and lower respiratory infections was 120- to 150-times greater in certain WHO developing country subregions as compared to developed country subregions. These differences arise from variations in exposure to environmental risks and in access to health care.
No overall difference between developed and developing countries in the fraction of noncommunicable disease attributable to the environment was observed.
… However, in developed countries, the per capita impact of cardiovascular diseases and cancers is higher.
The number of healthy life years lost from cardiovascular disease, as a result of environmental factors, was 7-times higher, per capita, in certain developed regions than in developing regions, and cancer rates were 4-times higher. Physical inactivity is a risk factor for various noncommunicable diseases including ischaemic heart disease, cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, and diabetes mellitus. It has been estimated that in certain developed regions such as North America, physical inactivity levels could be reduced by 31% through environmental interventions, including pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly urban land use and transport, and leisure and workplace facilities and policies that support more active lifestyles.
… Developing countries, meanwhile, carry a heavier burden of disease from unintentional
injuries and road traffic injuries attributable to environmental factors.
In developing countries, the average number of healthy life years lost, per capita, as a result of injuries associated with environmental factors, was roughly double that of developed countries; the gap was even greater at the subregional level. For road traffic injuries, there was a 15-fold difference between the environmental burden of disease in the best performing and worstperforming subregions, and a 10-fold disparity for 'other' unintentional injuries.
The results suggest that an important transition in environmental risk factors will occur as countries develop. For some diseases, such as malaria, the environmental disease burden is expected to decrease with development, but the burden will increase from other noncommunicable diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to levels approximate with those seen in more developed regions of the world.
injuries and road traffic injuries attributable to environmental factors.
In developing countries, the average number of healthy life years lost, per capita, as a result of injuries associated with environmental factors, was roughly double that of developed countries; the gap was even greater at the subregional level. For road traffic injuries, there was a 15-fold difference between the environmental burden of disease in the best performing and worstperforming subregions, and a 10-fold disparity for 'other' unintentional injuries.
The results suggest that an important transition in environmental risk factors will occur as countries develop. For some diseases, such as malaria, the environmental disease burden is expected to decrease with development, but the burden will increase from other noncommunicable diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to levels approximate with those seen in more developed regions of the world.
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