Stress-related diseases affect 80% of Pinoys

MANILA, Philippines - Four out of five or 80 percent of Filipinos are suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) due to stress and unhealthy lifestyle, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday. "Six out of ten people worldwide are suffering from NCDs or the so-called lifestyle diseases, while four of five or 80 percent of Filipinos have NCDs," Duque said at the relaunching of the "Healthy Lifestyle to the Max" program. Among those considered as NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Duque said the three are now among the major health problems in the country. Duque said one way to address this problem is for the people to go on regular confession. "I suggest that they go to church to pray and confess their sins because its one way of managing stress, which eventually lead to non-communicable diseases," Duque said, adding that keeping sins can cause emotional burden and stress to an individual. - GMANews.TV