Lifestyle Factors Linked to 35% of Deaths in Cyprus
Workshop Reveals Lifestyle and Environmental Determinants of Health Impacting Mortality Rates
A workshop organized by the Medical and Public Health Services of the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the National Committee for the Improvement of the Quality of Life of the Population, has revealed alarming health trends in Cyprus. The event focused on developing a National Strategy to enhance the population's quality of life.
According to findings shared during the workshop, 35% of all deaths in Cyprus are attributed to lifestyle-related health determinants, including dietary risks, low physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking. While this figure is slightly below the EU average of 39%, it highlights the pressing need for public health interventions, the Ministry said in a press release on Friday.
Environmental factors, such as air pollution from particulate matter and ozone exposure, were also identified as significant contributors to mortality in Cyprus.
The European Commission’s Health Profile for Cyprus underscores a troubling trend in physical activity levels. Only 22% of adult Cypriots report meeting the World Health Organization’s recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. This is well below the EU average of 33%.
Worryingly, this percentage has declined slightly since 2014, while the EU average has seen a modest increase over the same period, according to the OECD and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (2023).