A Professor at the University of Ghana School of Public Health, Professor Richmond Aryeetey, has urged Ghanaians to adopt a healthy lifestyle in order to avoid non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which are now the leading cause of death globally.
According to Prof. Aryeetey, NCDs are chronic and they have a potential of derailing the health status of Ghanaians, especially as the disease stays with the affected persons for life.
He explained that NCDs are diseases that are not transferable from one person to the other. He added that such diseases are cancer, kidney, stroke, diabetes, mental health challenges, among others.
“Most are non-infectious, although there are a few infectious origins,” he stated.
Prof. Aryeetey made the above statement in an interview with Ohenewa Kesse Boahene on CTV’s Obramu Nsem monitored by the TNP NEWS TEAM.
He revealed that globally out of ten people who die, seven of them are attributed to NCDs.
Analysing the situation, Prof. Aryeetey said in 2016 alone about 100,000 people in Ghana died from NCDs yet much attention had not been paid to it.
He said the number of people whose quality of life is affected by NCDs are more than those who die from NCDs.
Prof. Aryeetey indicated that NCDs take longer time to manifest in the body, hence most people do not consider it as an important issue.
He stressed that our lifestyles expose the body to such deadly diseases which have a devastating effect on the human body.
To this end, he has advised the general public to undertake regular check-ups, frequent exercises, as well as embark on healthy eating which are essential to keep the body healthy.
“Embark on a regular health check-up since it is an essential tool for healthy living,” he emphasised.
He touched on the need to limit fatty and junk foods, and also avoid excessive and harmful alcohol use.
Besides, he spoke against the frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
Prof. Aryeetey, therefore, recommended that more fruits and vegetable intake should be our lifestyle as part of our diet to mitigate the situation.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Samuel Appah-Peniel/TNP NEWS
