By Ilia Stamblerisoad.orgPosted: Nov 26, 2014
The Need to Promote Research of Aging and Aging-related Diseases as a Way to Improve Health of the Global Elderly Population.
Resolution of the International Conference on Aging and Disease of the International Society on Aging and Disease - ICAD 2014, November 1-2, 2014, Beijing, China: Aging and the Burden of Disease The degenerative aging processes and associated diseases are the gravest challenge to global public health. Aging-related degenerative processes do not necessarily cause a particular disease but rather combine to produce a large set of non-communicable chronic diseases.
Degenerative aging processes are the major underlying cause of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, ischemic heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, etc. Mental health deterioration due to chronic neurodegenerative diseases forms the largest cause of disability in the world, responsible for over 20% of years lived with disability.
Aging-related NCDs are the greatest cause of mortality in the world, yearly claiming more than 34.5 million lives worldwide (66% or 2/3 of global deaths, or nearly 100.000 deaths daily). Hence major efforts must be directed toward their alleviation. According to the World Health Organization’s “Draft Twelfth General Programme of Work” (April 13, 2013), one of WHO’s leadership priorities is “Addressing the challenge of non-communicable diseases.”
Aging also increases the risk of morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases like pneumonia and influenza. Moreover, the susceptibility to injury and trauma (such as falls and concussions), due to the impairment of balance and mental state, and even falling victim to violence, are strongly increased by the aging process. Also, the processes of aging exacerbate and reinforce the effects of other risk factors of non-communicable diseases (tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol). In sum, aging-related health decline is the major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide and should be addressed according to the severity of the problem.
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