Deaths in Cyprus
Over one third of all deaths in Cyprus are associated to lifestyle factors such as smoking and lack of exercise, a public health seminar revealed on Friday.
The seminar, focusing on the development of a national strategy to improve the quality of life in Cyprus, revealed that 35 per cent of all deaths in Cyprus the country are attributed to key health factors related to lifestyle. These factors include dietary risks, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, and smoking causes deaths in Cyprus.
This percentage is lower than the EU average of 39 per cent.
Environmental factors, such as air pollution (including fine particulate matter and ozone exposure), also contribute significantly to mortality in Cyprus.
The seminar aimed to foster participation and cooperation among various stakeholders, including academics, public servants, and other relevant parties, to present and analyse the current situation in Cyprus. It also sought to examine existing demographic and epidemiological data in order to collect opinions and recommendations for developing the core pillars of the national strategy to improve population health through healthy nutrition and physical activity.
During the seminar, data from the European Commission’s health profile for Cyprus were presented, showing that only about 22 per cent of Cypriot adults report meeting the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, which is considerably lower than the EU average of 33 per cent. This percentage has slightly decreased since 2014, while the EU average has increased during the same period, according to the OECD/European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.
The ultimate goal of public health, according to the World Health Organisation, is to improve health for all and reduce health inequalities through the concept of “Health for All.”
The event was organised by the medical and public health services of the ministry of health in collaboration with the national committee for improving quality of life through healthy nutrition and physical activity, and the European University of Cyprus.
The medical and public health services, alongside the national committee for improving quality of life through healthy nutrition and physical activity, aim to promote public health measures, actions, programs, and policies through a collective and inclusive approach. The successful implementation of these strategies requires both government consensus and intersectoral cooperation, in line with the WHO’s “Health in All Policies” philosophy.