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Foreword
Last year, my annual report emphasised the importance of the early years of life in building a solid foundation for good mental and physical health in adulthood. Since that report was published, many tragedies have been reported in the media in which babies and young children have been abused, injured and killed. At the same time, evidence has continued to accumulate that children born into and raised in chaotic circumstances are more likely to be unemployed, have criminal records, abuse alcohol and drugs and, in their turn, be violent to their own children. The need to create a more nurturing and supportive environment for our children remains, in my view, the most pressing public health issue in our society.
This years report looks at how we can reduce the scourge of early death in Scottish adults. The big killers are, of course, heart disease, stroke, cancer and alcoholic liver disease. The report details the trends in incidence and mortality from these diseases. It contains some good news and reports some worrying trends. The key message is that, in many respects, Scotland's health is changing for the better and, by working together, citizens of Scotland can accelerate the rate of improvement. Nothing about our poor health is inevitable and we should not accept it as so.
The final chapter suggests "5 habits for health". By adopting these habits we can add significantly to the number of years we live and improve the quality of those years.
The most worrying trend reported is the significant increase in mortality associated with consumption of alcohol. Scotland must change its attitudes to this drug. The evidence that mortality from alcoholic liver disease can fall rapidly when a society reduces consumption is strong. France achieved enormous improvements very quickly. We must do the same. In some parts of Scotland premature death from alcoholic liver disease is now higher than that from heart attacks and we must act quickly to improve matters.
The damage done to the length and quality of life in Scotland by the major killers has, as already pointed out, many of its origins in childhood. We need to confine our efforts to support parents and children. We must, in addition, help people at greatest risk of ill health make the choices that will improve their mental and physical wellbeing.
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