Health and Diseases

The global community faces a resurgence of infectious disease-including the notorious killers AIDS, malaria, and hepatitis. At the same time, "diseases of affluence" such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are advancing rapidly in many parts of the world. Worldwatch research on human health focuses on the common root of these diverse pathologies: an unsustainable approach to development. By eliminating the conditions that increase the likelihood of illness, whether lack of clean water in many poor nations, or car-centered cities that encourage a lack of exercise in many wealthy ones, nations that shape their development with human health in mind are a step ahead in building a sustainable society.