Small steps – big effects
Sponsored by AIA Len Elikhis, NZ Chief Product and Investments Officer, AIA. Photo / Supplied. Sponsored by AIA New report: small changes individuals can make to lower deaths. New Zealanders can harness consumption patterns and purchasing power to help benefit the environment and by doing so can alter or reduce the five lifestyle factors which contribute to 90 per cent of the countrys deaths. That is one of the key findings of The Environment and Our Health, a new report from life, health and wellbeing insurer AIA NZ. It applies a new focus on the environment as a principal factor in good health and recommends changes individual New Zealanders can apply to aid the environment and thus their own health. We often think about environmental sustainability as a global challenge but our day-to-day interaction with our environment can have a significant impact on our health, too, says Len Elikhis, Chief Product and Investments Officer at AIA NZ. For humans to thrive, a healthy environment is essential and, in the same way, the environment needs us to be living healthy and sustainable lifestyles to thrive. Globally, almost a quarter of all annual deaths (12 million) are linked to the environment, and nearly two-thirds of these deaths are due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer and diabetes, he says. At AIA NZ, we believe its our social responsibility to move away from simply being a payer of claims, to helping New Zealanders live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives, says Elikhis. As part of that, we want to empower individuals and communities to choose healthy behaviours that not only improve health and wellbeing, but also reduce our environmental footprint. In 2021, AIA recognised interaction with the environment as a fifth modifiable risk behaviour or lifestyle factor (in addition to smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and excessive alcohol consumption) that contribute to five deadly NCDs in New Zealand heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes and poor mental health. The Environment and Our Health report delves into this insight deeper, identifying four distinct areas within the overall concept of interacting with the environment that are harming our health: climate change, air pollution, agriculture and food production, plus urbanisation and the built environment. Climate change represents more regular and extreme weather events impacting our wellbeing and resilience. Air pollution is exacerbated by the use of internal combustion engine vehicles and industrial emissions, as well as poor in-home ventilation which causes respiratory illness associated with dampness, Elikhis says. Unsustainable agricultural practices contribute to environmental degradation, including biodiversity loss, freshwater use and land-system change, while dietary shifts to more processed foods impact on nutritional quality and costs of our foods causing a range of chronic health conditions, such as obesity. Urbanisation which is the process of the population shifting from rural to urban areas provides economic benefits, but also commonly creates adverse side effects for NCD-related health outcomes like increased sedentary behaviour through office work, commuting in private vehicles, and a less nutritious diet. The report then aims to promote the hidden health benefits that come from taking small steps to minimise environmental impact. Among changes recommended in the report are: As a life, health and wellbeing insurer, AIA New Zealand has invested heavily in developing programmes that support New Zealanders to maintain and improve their health throughout their lives, says Elikhis: Central to AIA NZs preventative healthcare focus is AIA Vitality, our science-backed health and wellbeing programme. Through AIA Vitality, members are nudged to make lifestyle changes with the aim of decreasing their risk of developing an NCD. AIA New Zealand is inspired by the opportunity to improve our environmental impact, as well as empower our customers and all New Zealanders to try to make a difference. AIA Groups global scale also puts our organisation in a powerful position to be able to amplify even small changes for significant impact. For more information go to aia.co.nz