One in four adults in Moldova smoke. Smoking is practiced by 43.6% of the men and 5.6% of the women. Each smoking person smokes daily 16 cigarettes on average, shows the first national study of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (STEPS), IPN reports.
In a news conference held to present the study, Minister of Health Andrei Usatyi said over 80% of the deaths recorded annually in Moldova are caused by noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic hepatitis, etc. “The results of the study show that the noxious effects of the risk factors in the appearance of chronic noncommunicable diseases are 2-3 times higher than thought earlier. The results we obtained will be used to decide the measures that should be taken to reduce and control these factors,” said the minister.
Representative of the World Health Organization Office in Moldova Jarno Habicht said the STEPS study is unique for Moldova and provides real data about the chronic non-transmitted disease risk factors. “Owing to this study, we found out important data about the obesity rate in Moldova, which earlier didn’t have obese people. The study reveals that 56% of the population is heavier than normal, 23% of whom are obese. The number of obese women is 1.6 times higher than of men,” he stated.
There was determined the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed daily by the Moldovans. Thus, even if Moldova is an agrarian country, about 67% of the population consumes less than the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Three in ten persons have an increased level of cholesterol in the blood and only one in four people with blood pressure receive treatment.
Director of the Division of Noncommunicable Diseases of the WHO Regional Office for Europe Gauden Galea said the men in Moldova face three times more risks of dying from heart attack at the age of 65 than the women. Thus, a man in three risks dying from heart attack owing to such risk factors as smoking and drinking of alcohol. The people in Moldova lead mainly a non-healthy lifestyle.
STEPS was carried out with the assistance of the WHO and the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the EU. It covered about 5,000 people aged between 18 and 69. The risk factors were determined based on a questionnaire that included general information about the age, sex, education level, civil status, nutrition, etc.
