Changing disease trends in the Asia-Pacific

Abstract

Recently published data demonstrate major demographic changes and disease trends evolving in the Asia-Pacific. These portentous developments will have far-reaching social and economic implications in terms of income security, social welfare and medical services. The region is now home to more than half of the world's population and includes some of the richest and most developed countries alongside some of the poorest and least developed ones. In the coming decades, the number of older persons (aged 60 years or over) and the number of the oldest-old (aged ≥80 years) in the region will increase rapidly. The Asia-Pacific is first in rank in terms of the number of urban dwellers. Despite persisting levels of underweight in some countries in the Asia-Pacific, overweight and obesity have become endemic for almost the entire region. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome are highly prevalent. The Asia-Pacific has the largest diabetes burden in the world. A smoking epidemic is developing in the region. As a consequence of these exacerbations in cardiovascular risk factors, already half of the world's cardiovascular burden occurs in the Asia-Pacific. Additionally, osteoporosis is becoming a serious public health issue in the Asia-Pacific and dementia is reaching epidemic proportions. The mix of a rapidly increasing, aging and urbanized population and a developing epidemic of chronic diseases will result in an enormous, health, social and economic burden and is threatening to overwhelm the health-care systems of less developed countries in the Asia-Pacific.