The Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Services (ICES) released a new report that looks at the cost of five behavioural risks to health which include: smoking, unhealthy alcohol intake, poor diet, lack of physical activity and high stress, and their impact on the life expectancy and health-adjusted life expectancy of Ontarians. The report quantifies the impacts of these behavioural risks and analyzes the advantages of living a healthier lifestyle.
The two major findings from the report were:
- Ontarians can increase their life expectancy by seven years and experience better quality of life by adjusting their behavioural risks
- Ontario as a province must decrease smoking and give the same attention to reducing the other four behavioural risks in order to become a healthier province
The report also explores two preventative scenarios and what they could mean to the health of Ontarians.
For more information go to www.ices.on.ca.