What should be our top priority in life? Well, it depends on the top risks in life. Depending on whom you ask this question, the answer may vary.
Top priorities
I suspect risk to life comes first. What else can come closer or even be ranked higher? To a large section of the world, it could simply be getting out of poverty. It can be so powerful that individuals may even risk their lives to achieve it for their families and future generations at least. Here, I assume that, at least for the people who read this post, the risk to life is the top one.
Top risks to life
What is the top risk to life? It could be diseases, accidents, extreme weather events, wars, terrorist attacks, etc. Let’s explore this further. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diseases are the top 10 causes of death and are responsible for 32 out of the 56 million deaths in a year. That is about 60%, according to the 2019 data. And what are they?
Noncommunicable diseases occupied the top seven spots in 2019. Yes, that will change in 2020 and 21, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deaths due to the current pandemic can reach the top three in 2021, but getting into the top spot is unlikely, at least based on the official records.
The Oscar goes to
The unrivalled winner is cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) – heart attacks and strokes – which cost 18 mln lives in 2019. The risk factors include unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, smoking, and the harmful use of alcohol. And an early warning to watch out for is high blood pressure.
There are three ways to manage the top risk: 1) medication for blood pressure management, 2) regular exercise, and 3) getting into the habit of a healthy diet.
Top 10 causes of death: WHO
Cardiovascular diseases: WHO
