FeaturedHealth

Is your health the new wealth?

By Dr. Damien Ng, Next Generation Research Analyst at Swiss Wealth Manager, Julius Baer

Bringing together physical and mental well-being

Our personal well-being is closely intertwined with the state of our health. For this reason, sages of the ancient world have long taught about the importance of the art of living a balanced lifestyle that combines fitness and health with emotional well-being and relationships.

Despite the passing of time since such knowledge was discovered, healthy living remains as relevant as ever for the present-day world. Due to the increasing demands of the modern way of life, however, chronic diseases and other health conditions have been on the rise.

An increase in office-work environments and the frequent use of smartphones and computers, add to the growing prevalence of inactivity, not helped by the easy availability of processed foods rich in sugar, salt, saturated fats, and calories, while more stress and anxiety arising from the frantic rush of everyday life, ultimately takes its toll on our mental well-being.

More people are turning to healthier lifestyles to keep their immune systems strong.”

Indeed, physical and mental well-being constitute two important components of overall health. Not only can individuals be debilitated by chronic physical conditions, such as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity due to unhealthy diets and the lack of movement, mental health issues that may be either related to the COVID-19 pandemic or other general considerations can also affect them. Therefore, COVID -19 has prompted a growing number of people to turn to healthier lifestyle habits to keep their immune systems strong while boosting their psychological morale during these extraordinary times.

The consequence of people living better and happier will inevitably have profound implications for our society and economy.

Greater consumption of salt and sugar worldwide

In recent years, excessive consumption of salt and sugar has come to the attention of public health authorities and the medical professionals for the growing incidence of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and even some types of cancer.

In the case of sugar, inhabitants in the Gulf region have been observed to consume most sugar on a per capita basis due to the availability of soft drinks and sweet but very delicious local desserts. For instance, an average inhabitant of Bahrain consumes around 250 grams of sugar on a daily basis. This is significantly more than in other countries, such as 130 grams in the United States. Nevertheless, the American Heart Association recommends that women should not consume more than 25 grams of added sugar a day; and men 36 grams. After all, too much sugar is widely associated with higher incidence of diabetes and obesity over the longer term. For instance, national prevalence of diabetes in Saudi Arabia and the UAE exceeds 16 percent. Naturally, it also means that blood-sugar monitoring systems, oral and other types of medication, and insulin injections will be one of the major foci of the region’s medical care.

“Individuals with stronger family ties may enjoy a greater degree of emotional and tangible support.”

Mental health is increasingly becoming a priority

The plight of a growing number of people suffering from emotional stress during the COVID-19 pandemic has increasingly drawn the attention of healthcare professionals to the need of tackling mental well-being. The lockdown measures and the resulting economic slowdown have adversely affected many people’s mental health.

While it is understandable that many people experienced nervousness and the fear of contracting the virus during the global health threat, public health measures like social distancing, working from home, temporary unemployment and the homeschooling of children made many feel more anxious and isolated due to a lack of physical contact with other family members, friends and colleagues. Nevertheless, anxiety and other mental disorders were already prevalent prior to the outbreak of the global health crisis.

According to the WHO, national prevalence of anxiety disorders in Australia, the Netherlands, and the US surpasses 6 percent. By contrast, it is around 4 percent in Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, and the UAE. This phenomenon appears to suggest that in cultures where family ties remain strong, there may be a greater degree of emotional and tangible support.

“Winners of the theme hail from a mix of consumer and defensive sectors.”

Investing in health

From an investment perspective, we maintain a constructive view on the long-term investment opportunities relating to healthy living, due to the growing awareness about the importance of reinforcing our immune systems to keep diseases at bay. This is particularly important against the backdrop of the persistently rising incidences of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity across the world.

Winners of the theme hail from a mix of consumer and defensive sectors. Given the broad scope of industries involved in the theme, the winners come from a mix of cyclical and defensive sectors. In particular, companies engaged in the retail and distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables, and the manufacture of organic food and beverages, athletic footwear, wearables and sports equipment, beauty and personal-care products, as well as healthcare relating to cardiovascular, diabetes and kidney malfunction, plus musculoskeletal and mental disorders.

For more information on Julius Baer, visit their website.

Comments

Related Articles

Back to top button