India will incur an accumulated loss of 236.6 billion U.S. dollars by 2015 on account of unhealthy lifestyles and faulty diet, the Times of India's report quoted the World Health Organization's research as saying Tuesday.
Smoking, consuming high-calorie fast food and being a couch potato will not only cut short people's lifespan but will also cost the country dearly, the report said.
The resultant chronic diseases - heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and respiratory infections, will severely affect people's earnings.
According to the research, which was released in Geneva on Monday, 35 million people died from chronic disease, representing 60 percent of all deaths worldwide in 2005. What's worse, around 80 percent of these deaths will occur in low and middle-income countries like India.
In India, 10 percent of adults suffer from hypertension while the country is home to 25-30 million diabetics. Three out of every 1,000 people suffer a stroke. The number of deaths due to heart attack is projected to increase from 1.2 million to 2 million in 2010, the report said.
India has already initiated a National Program for Prevention and Control of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and stroke through a pilot project launched in the country.
Source: Xinhua
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