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The trends highlighted in the report promise to be costly. According to the WHO's calculations, premature deaths from heart disease, stroke and diabetes will mean economic losses of $558 billion over the next decade. "The costs surrounding the chronic disease burden will most likely be huge," the Lancet report warns, including not just hospital and medical costs but also lower productivity and premature deaths. "This is a very serious problem," says Barber.

The prescription: preventive medicine. Success in raising life expectancy coupled with diseases of affluence "really has brought pressures on medical insurance" and only a good preventive medicine program can alleviate the strain, says Dr Xiao. The Lancet report—the third in a series on Health System Reform in China—urges the government to promote less salt and more fruit and vegetables in the diet, more exercise, and anti-smoking campaigns.

There are signs that the Chinese may be ready for a change. In the wake of the toxic milk scandal that has sickened 54,000 children, many Chinese are frantic for tips on how to eat healthfully. But they're not sure whose advice to trust—with poison pesticide on beans, arsenic in water, and melamine in milk, nothing seems safe to eat. A month-long official silence over tainted milk during the Olympics didn't help. The government needs to do more than issue dietary advice if it expects to get results.

© 2008

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: Concerned Canadian @ 10/22/2008 3:20:12 PM

    BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA WILL SUFFER FROM THE ???NOBAMA EFFECT ???!

    BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA JUST ANNOUNCED AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY THAT HE WANTS TO "SPREAD THE WEALTH AROUND??? SO THAT EVERYBODY IN AMERICA IS ON THE SAME LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. THIS IS GOVERNMENT "DICTATING" YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES.

    THIS IS DEFINED AS SOCIALISM, COMMUNISM, MARXIST, CHOOSE WHATEVER TERM YOU
    WANT BUT THAT IS THE DIRECTION OBAMA IS TAKING AMERICA. HE'S SAYING THIS STRAIGHT TO YOUR FACE AND YOU GUYS ARE BUYING RIGHT INTO IT. !!

    AN OLD WISE MAN ONCE SAID???IS BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR ...."

  • Posted By: fdchiu @ 10/22/2008 1:18:56 PM

    I don't know why Newsweek has such article when the whole world is worried about US depression? Are we, American, too worried about China getting better? From the negative article of Newsweek about China, I think so. You tell me!

    Now I can only offered to by from a web site that sells electronics made in China: www.yeedong.com.
    Guess what, it's too expensive to buy from Best Buy or other US outlets.
    No, more to say. Just feel sad....

  • Posted By: fdchiu @ 10/22/2008 1:18:00 PM

    I don't know why Newsweek has such article when the whole world is worried about US depression? Are we, American, too worried about China getting better? From the negative article of Newsweek about China, I think so. You tell me!

    Now I can only offered to by from a web site that sells electronics made in China: www.yeedong.com.
    Guess what, it's too expensive to buy from Best Buy or other US outlets.
    No, more to say. Just feel sad....

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