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Nutrition and the burden of disease in New Zealand: 1997–2011

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Niki Stefanogiannis
Affiliation:
Public Health Intelligence, Ministry of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington, New Zealand
Carlene MM Lawes
Affiliation:
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Maria Turley*
Affiliation:
Public Health Intelligence, Ministry of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington, New Zealand
Martin Tobias
Affiliation:
Public Health Intelligence, Ministry of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington, New Zealand
Stephen Vander Hoorn
Affiliation:
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Cliona Ni Mhurchu
Affiliation:
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Anthony Rodgers
Affiliation:
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, New Zealand
*
*Corresponding author: Email [email protected]
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Abstract

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Objective

To estimate the burden of disease due to selected nutrition-related risk factors (high total blood cholesterol, high systolic blood pressure, high body mass index (BMI) and inadequate vegetable and fruit intake) in 1997, as well as the burden that could potentially be avoided in 2011 if small, favourable changes in the current risk factor distribution were to occur.

Design

Data on risk factor levels, disease burden and risk associations were combined using comparative risk assessment methodology, a systematic approach to estimating both attributable and avoidable burden of disease. Disease outcomes assessed varied according to risk factor and included ischaemic heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus and selected cancers.

Setting

New Zealand.

Results

Approximately 4500 deaths (17% of all deaths) in 1997 were attributable to high cholesterol, 3500 (13%) to high blood pressure, 3000 (11%) to high BMI and 1500 (6%) to inadequate vegetable and fruit intake. Taking prevalence overlap into account, these risk factors were estimated jointly to contribute to approximately 11 000 (40%) deaths annually in New Zealand. Approximately 300 deaths due to each risk factor could potentially be avoided in 2011 if modest changes were made to each risk factor distribution.

Conclusions

High cholesterol, blood pressure and BMI, as well as inadequate vegetable and fruit intake, are major modifiable causes of death in New Zealand. Small changes in the population distribution of these risk factors could have a major impact on population health within a decade.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2005

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