VietNamNet Bridge – Up to 350,000 people died from non-infectious diseases each year, a sharp increase over previous years, according to the HCM City Institute of Hygiene and Public Health.

Among the main causes of death from non-infectious diseases are excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and an unbalanced diet. — VNS File Photo

Annually, a total of 70,000 died of cardiovascular diseases, 66,000 died from cancer and 13,000 died from diabetes, the institute said.

Only 36 per cent of the total patients across the country suffered from non-infectious diseases in 1986 but by 2009 the rate had reached 66 per cent.

The rate of fatalities caused by non-infectious diseases also increased sharply.

In 2009, 63per cent of the total deaths across the country were a result of non-infectious diseases whereas in 1986 the rate was only 41per cent.

Institute doctor Nguyen Thi Hiep said non-infectious diseases didn't have a clear cause, thus health workers and patients didn't pay enough attention to them.

Diets with too much protein, drinking too much alcohol, smoking too many cigarettes and not taking enough exercise were the main causes of non-infectious diseases, she said.

Recent research showed the amount of meat Vietnamese consumed was 2.5 times more than 20 years ago, the amount of eggs eaten was up nine times on 20 years ago while milk consumption had doubled.

Seventy per cent of non-infectious diseases could be prevented if residents had proper diets and took exercises regularly, she said.

"Exercise for 10 minutes a day could reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer considerably."

Hiep said Viet Nam did not have a long-term programme of education and control of non-infectious diseases.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News