People exercise at a park in HCM City. Health experts recommend that people carefully watch what they eat, be physically active, avoid the use of tobacco and alcohol, and lower stress levels. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Although average life expectancy has increased, the number of cases of non-infectious disease among Vietnamese has risen, said Dr Nguyen Thi Kim Tien , head of the Department of Health Protection and Care of Central Officials. Tien spoke at an annual national workshop on health and longevity held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 8. The average life expectancy of Vietnamese is 73.6 compared to 68.6 in 1999, according to the population census in 2019. However, Vietnamese women are ill an average of a total of 11 years, compared to eight years for men, she said. “Non-infectious chronic diseases are the number one killer today, with more than 70 percent of deaths coming from cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes,” she noted. The number of cases increase significantly from the age of 40 due to aging, inadequate nutrition, high consumption of tobacco and alcohol, stress, and other factors. “The number in Vietnam has reached alarming levels,” she said, adding that “how we age depends hugely on how we behave.” She said that people should carefully watch what they eat, be physically active, avoid the use of tobacco and alcohol, and lower stress levels. “You should listen to your body and see a doctor as soon as possible if ill because early detection is important in treatment, reducing mortality and improving quality of life,” she said. Aging population In 2011, Vietnam began to enter the period of an aging population and is one of the countries with the fastest aging rates in the world. In 2017, the number of people 60 years and older accounted for 11.9 percent of the total population. This group will account for about 21 million people by 2038, or 20 percent of the population. The number will reach 27 million or 25 …
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