ASIAN HEALTH SURVEY

BY:
SWATI KALRA
B LEVEL(1ST SEMESTER)
A SIAN HEALTH

SURVEY

Health risks are a major concern in Asia even

though the vast majority enjoy reasonable
health, according to an annual survey of
health attitudes in seven major markets
across the region.
What worries
us most?
• Heart conditions are
our top fear.
Regionally, 63% and
60% of respondents
are concerned about
high blood pressure
and high cholesterol
respectively.
• 34% of our Asian respondents
say they are, or someone in their
household is, overweight or
obese and 37% are affected by
diabetes, a condition often
linked to obesity.
 Fitness Check

BMI (body mass index) is an important indicator to check

if your weight could pose any risk to your health.

Higher BMI, higher the risk of developing health and

lifestyle disorders.

BMI = weight (in kg) / Height (M2).

BMI between 19-25 are indicators of healthy weight. BMI

above 25 indicates you are overweight and above 30
obese.
 Fitness Tips

Brisk walk for one hour everyday will help you burn 350
calories.

Cutting down on fat is not enough, count your calories

too! Controlling your overall calorie intake everyday is
vital for fitness.
If you are too busy to exercise start avoiding unwanted
calories from fried food, junk food and sugar.

Be concerned about your tea and coffee and not about

calories. About 6 cups of tea or coffee means 240
calories only from sugar.
Add sweetness to your life not to your food.
Affluence can
hurt
 Daily Steps towards fitness

Try and use stairs in place of escalators.

If you stay/work in high rise building, try to take at least

three flights of stairs.
Walk while you talk on mobile phone.

Don’t use TV remote, get up and change the channels.

Start the morning by taking a brisk walk within home or

doing some light stretching exercises or yoga at home.
Avoid unwanted calories during the day.
 WHAT AILS AND WORRIES US
Percentage of respondents from India with a household member affected by a
condition, and who are “concerned quite a lot” about the disease.
Condition Affected Concerned
High Blood Pressure 54.4% 51.3%
Diabetes 45.7% 52.8%
Sight Problems 33.7% 31.2%
Weight Problems/obesity 33.3% 35.6%
Arthritis 29.6% 24.6%
High Cholesterol 26.2% 34.8%
Cardiovascular problems 19.1% 43.2%
Osteoporosis 17.1% 20.6%
Insomnia/Sleep Problems 15.5% 14.1%
Asthma 13.5% 17.0%
Depression 12.2% 18.1%
 Health Tourism
Top five destinations of Indians for getting medical
procedures done:
Country Percentage

United States 82.2%

Europe 43.7%

Singapore 34.4%

Japan 13.8%

China 8.5%
• Regionally, only 50% say
they have been for a
checkup in the last 12
months and 22% say they
rarely go.
• People know they should eat well.
85% of our respondents say in the
last year they have been eating
more fruit and vegetables. 60%
say they take vitamins and health
supplements regularly.
 STEPS TO BETTER HEALTH
Percentage of respondents from India who say they’ve taken steps to
improve their health in the past year. What did you do?
Condition Percentage
Ate more fruits & vegetables 75.7%
Consumed less salt & sugar 60.0%
Took vitamins/health supplements 50.0%
Tried to lose weight 45.9%
Exercised more 45.6%
Went for a checkup 41.7%
Took natural/herbal supplements 25.0%
Reduced/quit smoking 37.7%
CONCLUSION

Have Regular
Check Ups
“The best tool for
prevention is a complete
whole body examination
annually”
 KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HEALTH & ILLNESS
Percentage of respondents from India who say they are interested in knowing
about potential illnesses that they or their loved ones may get in the future. Not
only are people learning about the symptoms of various illnesses, they have also
gathered information on the different kinds of treatment procedures.
Disease Knowledge of Symptoms Knowledge of
Treatment
Diabetes 56.7% 50.8%
High Blood Pressure 52.3% 46.8%

Weight Problems/Obesity 43.9% 33.9%

High Cholesterol 41.1% 37.4%
Insomnia/Sleep Problems 35.2% 27.5%
Cardiovascular Problems 33.9% 29.7%
Arthritis 29.2% 21.8%
Depression 24.4% 17.5%
Cancer 22.8% 18.3%
“Be aware of your risk factors. Lifestyle modification is
helpful in maintaining optimal weight. Engage in a
healthy, active lifestyle, eat a balanced diet and have
regular checkups- you will reduce the risk of developing
these diseases”
-Dr. Patel

Source: Reader’s Digest Asian Health Survey 2007