Impact of COVID-19 on risks and deaths of non-communicable diseases in the Western Pacific region

Xiaoyue Xu; Zumin Shi; Lihui Zhou; Jing Lin; Evan Atlantis; Xinguang Chen; Akhtar Hussain; Youfa Wang; Yaogang Wang

doi:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100795

Impact of COVID-19 on risks and deaths of non-communicable diseases in the Western Pacific region

Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2023 Dec 1:43:100795. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100795. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Authors

Xiaoyue Xu¹, Zumin Shi², Lihui Zhou³, Jing Lin³, Evan Atlantis^{4

5}, Xinguang Chen⁶, Akhtar Hussain^{7

8}, Youfa Wang⁶, Yaogang Wang^{3

9}

Affiliations

¹ School of Population Heath, University of New South Wales, Australia.
² Human Nutrition Department, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar.
³ School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
⁴ School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Discipline of Medicine, Nepean Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Nepean, New South Wales, Australia.
⁶ The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Public Health Institute, Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, International Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, People's Republic of China.
⁷ Faculty of Health Sciences, Nord University, Bodø, 8049, Norway.
⁸ International Diabetes Federation, 166 Chaussee de La Hulpe, B-1170, Brussels, Belgium.
⁹ National Institute of Health Data Science at Peking University, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Countries and areas in the Western Pacific region (WPR) experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and took various preventive measures, which affected non-communicable diseases (NCDs) risks and mortality. Due to differences in COVID-19 prevention measures and other characteristics such as culture, religions, political systems, socioeconomic development, lifestyles, and health care systems, the effects of COVID-19 on NCDs varied greatly among WPR countries. Most countries had an increased all-cause and NCDs mortality during the pandemic, but some developed countries, including New Zealand, Singapore and Australia reported decreased mortality. The pandemic and the preventive measures increased NCD risk factors including unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity and sleep disorders. The effects varied by socioeconomic status and health conditions. COVID-19 related stress, food shortages, and confined lifestyle had immediate detrimental effects on NCDs, and also affected pregnancy outcomes with long-term effects on NCDs risks in coming years.

Keywords: COVID-19; Mortality; NCDs; Western Pacific region.

Publication types

Review