Letter writer Valerie Durnford asks "...Why are Canadian among the world's
leaders in rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease?" (April 26)  She
also notes that "Unhealthy lifestyles lead to a significant proportion of
many debilitating and costly diseases..."  Sorry Ms. Durnford, wrong on all
counts.  Male adult obesity rates in Canada rank 20th of 26 OECD nations,
female adult obesity rates are 19th of 26 OECD nations, diabetes mellitus
mortality rates are 14th of OECD 29 nations, and circulatory disease
mortality rates are 26th of 29 OECD nations.  And by the way "lifestyle
factors" acccount for only a small proportion of whether you develp any of
these afflictions.  The best predictors of disease and death are low
income, insecure working and living conditions, and general material
deprivation.


Dennis Raphael, PhD
Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director
School of Health Policy and Management
Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies
York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
tel: 416-736-2100, ext. 22134
fax: 416-736-5227
email: [log in to unmask]
website: http://atkinson.yorku.ca/draphael/

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