Stress worse for health than disease (again)

As we’ve said before “Many health and happiness problems today are related to stress“.

A World Health Organisation report (published in the Lancet) on the largest population-based worldwide study that explores the effect of depression in comparison with four other chronic diseases on health state found that  depression is more damaging to everyday health than chronic diseases such as angina, arthritis, asthma and diabetes. And if people are ill with other conditions, depression makes them worse.

In 2000, scientists rated depression as the disease which had the fourth greatest public health impact globally. By 2020 it is predicted to have jumped to second place.

At some point in their life it is estimated that around one in every five women and one in every 10 men will suffer from depression. The study used WHO world health survey data from 250,000 people.

These reports reinforce our contention that attention to building emotional intelligence will yield dividends in increased happiness and productivity as well as lower costs.

The solution: eat less, eat better and don’t forget to breathe.