Top 10 killer diseases in Hong Kong claim 18pc more lives than a decade ago
Average life expectancy goes up by five years in a decade
The top 10 killer diseases in Hong Kong cause the deaths of 18 per cent more people a year than they did a decade ago because of the ageing population, unhealthy lifestyles and pollution, the has found.
As the average life expectancy in Hong Kong has increased by more than five years in the last decade, the number of people dying from age-related diseases has risen.
Thanks to medical advances, fewer people now die from long-term illnesses such as diabetes. But deaths caused by diseases usually associated with old age, such as dementia, have multiplied.
More cases of dementia are expected as the city sees a longer life expectancy
Medical specialists warn that as the population ages, more people could suffer from age-related diseases or develop urban lifestyle-related health conditions because of obesity, pollution and lack of exercise.
Alzheimer's disease expert Wilfred Leung Chi-hang said the government should commit more resources to elderly health care.
Health Department figures show that the number of Hongkongers killed by the top 10 diseases rose by 18 per cent from 31,001 in 2003 to 36,552 last year.
The rate of increase outpaced the growth in the city's population growth, which rose 5 per cent from 6.8 million in 2003 to 7.25 million last year, Census and Statistics Department data shows. However, it is in line with the growth of the elderly population. The number of people aged 65 or above increased 19 per cent, from 818,800 in 2003 to 978,000 last year.
