News Mash-up: Concerning Health Trends

Category: Health

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. prevalent / ˈprɛv ə lənt / (adj.) – very common or happening often
    Example:

    The condition is prevalent in some types of dogs.


  2. chronic / ˈkrɒn ɪk / (adj.) – describing something, especially a medical condition, that lasts for a long time
    Example:

    Max has a chronic cough in spring because of his allergies.


  3. hypertension / ˌhaɪ pərˈtɛn ʃən / (n.) – a condition where a person’s blood pressure is higher than normal
    Example:

    She has hypertension, so she needs to avoid foods that have a lot of salt.


  4. diagnose / ˈdaɪ əgˌnoʊs / (v.) – to identify someone’s disease through a medical examination
    Example:

    The test is used to diagnose a variety of diseases.


  5. caseload / ˈkeɪsˌloʊd / (n.) – the number of people that a doctor, police officer, lawyer, etc. needs to deal with during a certain period of time
    Example:

    It’s flu season, so Dr. Park’s caseload has been heavy recently.


Article

Read the text below.

Diabetes surges among US youths: study


The number of young people with the most prevalent form of diabetes nearly doubled in the U.S. from 2001 to 2017, according to a study published on Aug. 24.


The findings showed that the rate of young people ages 10 to 19 with type 2 diabetes increased by 95% over the 16-year period. The estimated rate of youths under age 20 with type 1 diabetes grew by 45%.


One in 10 people in the U.S., or 34 million, have diabetes. About 1.6 million people have type 1 diabetes, while millions more have type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition in which the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use it well. (Reuters)


High blood pressure affects 1.3 billion: WHO


Nearly 1.3 billion people globally suffer from hypertension, a silent killer often driven by obesity that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, the World Health Organization said on Aug. 25.


Hypertension can be easily diagnosed by monitoring blood pressure and treated with low-cost drugs, but half of affected people are unaware of their condition, the WHO and Imperial College London said in a joint study published in The Lancet.


While hypertension rates have changed little in 30 years, the caseload has shifted to lower-income countries as wealthy nations have brought it largely under control, the study said. (Reuters)


These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The number of young people with type 2 diabetes nearly doubled in the US from 2001 to 2017. Why do you think it increased so much (ex. children used to play outside more, busy parents are buying more fast food)? What should Americans do about it? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think this situation is also likely to happen with young people in your country? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Half of all people with hypertension are unaware that they have the condition. Why do you think this is? What should be done to promote more awareness of hypertension? Why? Discuss.
  • Hypertension can be treated with low-cost drugs, but in some cases it can also be reversed with lifestyle changes. If you were diagnosed with hypertension, would you immediately start taking medicine for it, or would you try to make lifestyle changes first? Why? Discuss.