Heart disease is now the number two cause of death in Taiwan.
The News Lens
Date: 2018/03/26
By: By Matthew Fulco,
Credit: REUTERS/Nicky Loh
Last year my family and I moved into an apartment building with a small gym. There are treadmills, an elliptical trainer, an exercise bike, and dumbbell sets – enough equipment for a full workout.
It’s almost like having a private gym in my home. Even at peak times for gym use like early evening, I rarely have to share the space. In an 11-story building with multiple apartments on each floor, there are just a handful of people who use the fitness center.
As it turns out, my experience is not unique. A 2015 survey by the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare found that 76 percent of Taiwanese don’t get enough exercise. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate physical exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity. [FULL STORY]
Physical inactivity is a top risk factor for heart disease, the No. 2 cause of mortality in Taiwan after cancer. In 2016 nearly 21,000 people died of cardiovascular disease in Taiwan, according to government data. The heart disease mortality rate rose 0.37 percent that year.
