共用题干 第二篇

Chronic Diseases: The World"s Leading Killer

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death in the world.Yet health experts say
these conditions are often the most preventable.Chronic diseases include heart disease,
stroke,cancer,diabetes（糖尿病）and lung disorders.
The World Health Organization says chronic diseases lead to about seventeen million
early deaths each year.This United Nations agency expects more than three hundred eighty
million people to die of chronic diseases by 2015.It says about eighty percent of the deaths
will happen in developing nations.
The WHO says chronic diseases now cause two-thirds of all deaths in the Asia-Pacific
area,ln ten years it could be almost three-fourths.People are getting sick in their most
economically productive years.In fact,experts say chronic diseases are killing more
middle-aged people in poorer countries than in wealthier ones.
The WHO estimates that chronic diseases will cost China alone more than five hundred
thousand million dollars in the next ten years.That estimate represents the costs of medical
treatment and lost productivity.Russia and lndia are also expected to face huge economic
losses.
Kim Hak-Su is the head of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific.Last week in Bangkok he presented a WHO report on the problem.It
says deaths from chronic diseases have increased largely as the result of economic gains in
many countries.
The report details the latest findings from nine countries.They include Brazil,Britain,
Canada,China,India and Nigeria.The others are Pakistan,Russia and Tanzania.
Mister Kim says infectious and parasitic（寄生的）diseases have until recently been the
main killers in Asia and the Pacific.But he says they are no longer the major cause of death in
most countries.
Health officials say as many as eighty percent of deaths from chronic diseases could be
prevented.They say an important tool for governments is to restrict the marketing of alcohol
and tobacco to young people.Also,more programs are needed to urge healthy eating and
more physical activity.
UN officials aim through international action to reduce chronic-disease deaths by two
percent each year through 2015.They say meeting that target could save thirty-six million
lives.That includes twenty-five million in Asia and the Pacific. How many people in developing countries will probably die of chronic diseases by 2015?