Hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved each year if people focused more on lifestyle issues, says Seventh-day Adventist health leader Dr. Allan Handysides, commenting on the World Health Report 2002 recently released by the World Health Organization.

“Lifestyle problems are preventable,” Handysides says. “The report is focusing on lifestyle issues, which is very interesting because Adventists have focused on lifestyle for a long time. When WHO comes out and says that lifestyle is a major issue, it’s an echo of what the church has been saying for more than 150 years.”

The report, one of the largest research projects undertaken by WHO, states that bad habits, such as drinking, smoking and overeating, are becoming more common in developing nations, and suggests that there could be a healthier future for all countries if they make a bold change.

“There is an absolute change in the number of problems, but it’s a relative change because diseases that were once major killers have disappeared,” says Handysides. “When you get those problems taken care of, these other issues are much more obvious and meaningful.”

The top 10 leading risk factors globally, according to the report, are: malnourishment; unsafe sex; high blood pressure; tobacco consumption; alcohol consumption; unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene; iron deficiency; indoor smoke from solid fuels; high cholesterol; and obesity. These account for more than one-third of all deaths worldwide, the report says.

The report shows that a relatively small number of risks cause a huge number of premature deaths and account for a very large share of the global burden of disease.

“We need to broaden our frontiers of health and realize that it’s not just what we eat,” says Handysides. “It’s how we behave and exercise—all of these aspects of life are part of our lifestyle.”

Handysides talks about the global problem of HIV/AIDS, a particular area of concern in which the Adventist Church is very active. “I’m hopeful the church will become even more caring as a faith community in this [HIV/AIDS] area, and that we’ll show more tenderness and compassion,” he says.

The Adventist Church is working cooperatively with other denominations on the global problem of HIV/AIDS. “For something like this, it’s imperative that we work together because we can’t do it alone—neither can any other denomination,” says Handysides. “Hopefully we can have an impact on our own young people and on other young people to adopt a better lifestyle.”

In 2000, the church set up an AIDS study committee to track the impact of HIV/AIDS on society and the church, and recommended new, more effective ways to respond. In 2001, church leadership approved an Office of HIV/AIDS Ministry, located in Johannesburg, South Africa, which focuses on care and vocational training for AIDS orphans and widows, treatment for those infected, and a widespread education and prevention effort in churches, schools, and communities.

“The solution to HIV/AIDS is not just education,” Handysides says. “It’s much deeper. It has to do with self-esteem, culture, values, and relationships.”

The Adventist Church operates 169 hospitals and sanitariums worldwide and is committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle in all countries.