According to a 2017 disease burden study conducted in Singapore, 1 in every 3 adults have high cholesterol and 1 in every 5 adults have hypertension.
Given the chronic nature of these diseases, many of the population do not realize that they have it until at a later stage. So what can we do to change that?
While Singaporeans top the chart for life expectancy with a lifespan of around 85 years, the number of “unhealthy” years that we will spend coping with age-related diseases, are also increasing. We can expect to spend approximately 10 years in poor health, mainly due to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders and mental illness. Unfortunately, there are neither vaccines nor cures for such diseases.
The best defence we have is to go for regular health screening. That said, we definitely do not need to go all out ‘kiasu’ and get screened for all diseases known to mankind haha. Regular screening for the common chronic conditions that we are most likely to have, should suffice. So let’s take a look at the Top 6 health concerns in Singapore.
Disclaimer: Conditions and diseases are not listed in any specific sequence. This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Diabetes Mellitus affects 1 in every 9 adult Singaporeans and has serious long-term complications such as amputation, heart, eye and kidney diseases. A common misconception is that you can only develop diabetes from high sugar consumption. But that is not true. A high sugar/calorie diet contributes to weight gain and increases one’s risk for type 2 diabetes, it does not directly cause it.
There are 2 main types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes: The pancreas is damaged and is unable to produce insulin to use blood glucose for energy. This type of diabetes is often diagnosed in children or young adults.
Type 2 diabetes: This happens when the insulin produced is insufficient/ ineffective, and is often diagnosed in people above age 40, particularly those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Although Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, Type 2 is 100% preventable. Through early detection and hence intervention such as changing of diet, and becoming more physically active, Type 2 diabetes can be controlled and can even go into full remission, thus averting its long-term complications.
Hypertension (aka High blood pressure)
Hypertension refers to a condition where blood is pumped around the body at a pressure that is too high. It affects 1 in 5 adult Singaporeans. However, it is often left undetected because there are usually NO symptoms. Most individuals only discover that they suffer from it when complications like a stroke or heart attack set in.
While its complications are unfortunately life-threatening, hypertension screening is actually simple, fast and non-invasive. You require only a blood pressure monitor to measure your own blood pressure. You can also get it measured at any clinic.
In medical terms, it means that the body has too much fatty substances (lipids) such as cholesterol and triglycerides, which can cause you to be at higher risk of other diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes (which are the 3rd, 4th and 10th leading causes of death in Singapore respectively).
Most of the cholesterol found in our body is produced by the liver, and the rest comes from the food we eat. Like hypertension, most people with hyperlipidaemia display NO symptoms and the only way to screen for it is to do a fasting blood test. Additionally, you can do your part to lower your cholesterol by losing weight, and being more physically active. But the more effective choice is probably to reduce your intake of red meat, fried food, butter, and other foods that contain large amounts of saturated fat.
Liver disease has often been linked to alcohol consumption, but a new type of liver disease is on the rise in Singapore – non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This happens when excess fat is deposited in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol and can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Like the previous 2 chronic conditions, NAFLD also has NO symptoms. Even if there are symptoms, they may be non-specific types like tiredness and nausea.
Individuals who are obese, diabetic, have cholesterol problems, and/or have hypertension, are inevitably at higher risks of suffering from NAFLD. You can screen for NAFLD by taking a blood test. Should the results show elevated liver enzymes, an ultrasound can be done to detect fats in the liver. There is no medication to treat it but lifestyle modifications such as weight loss, diet change and exercise can help.
Being the Number 1 cancer diagnosed in women in Singapore, breast cancer affects around 1 in 11 women in their lifetime. While early-stage breast cancer presents NO symptoms and can only be picked up via a mammogram, early diagnosis is important because survival rates are significantly higher in its earlier stages.
It is recommended that women aged 50 and above should get a mammogram done at least once every 2 years. At higher risk women (e.g. if there is family history of breast cancer) should start to get mammograms before 50.
Another top cancer that is Number 1 for men and 2nd for women, colorectal cancer affects the large intestines. Most individuals diagnosed with colon cancer are aged 45 and above, and research has shown that male Chinese Singaporeans are particularly at risk. The majority of colorectal cancers arise from polyps (abnormal tissue growth) which are benign at the start, and do not present symptoms. However, malignant changes can occur in these polyps after 5 to 10 years.
That is why early detection of polyps is crucial as it allows them to be removed before turning cancerous. It is recommended that screening should begin at the age of 50 even for individuals without any risk factors. Colorectal screening can be undergone by using a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit every year, and/or colonoscopy every 10 years.
Prevention is better than cure
Having to book our health screening appointment months in advance, and also having to endure long waits at the clinic on the day itself, will probably deter many of us from getting screened at all, especially when we feel physically ok. But given that most of the chronic conditions DO NOT have symptoms, these conditions may have already progressed to a more severe stage by the time any outward signs/symptoms finally appear. Hence regular health screening is key. Table 1 shows some of the important screening tests.
Keep in mind that while we can be physically in great shape, our outward health does not mirror our internal health. You cannot drive a Ferrari that has a damaged engine, no matter how well-maintained it is on the outside.
So if you have been procrastinating to go for a simple preventive health screening, or more importantly, finally wish to start the good habit of going for regular screenings every 2 years, Chloe has just the solution for you. Stop thinking of reasons not to start, and take action now. We all only get one life, there are no respawns!
Comentários