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The North Karelia Project: 30 years successfully preventing chronic diseases

After World War II, chronic deseases, cardiovascular diseases in particular, became a major public health problem in industrialised countries. These diseases were perceived as diseases of affluence.

Finland was hit hard: in the 1960s, Finland had the world's highest rate of deaths from coronary heart disease. Middle-aged men were dying in great numbers. The rates were even higher in the east of the country- the highest figures being in the Province of North Karelia.

In 1971, representatives of the Province of North Karelia signed a petition to national authorities appealing for urgent help to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases in the area. In response to the petition and in an attempt to prevent the rising tide of chronic desease, Finnish authorities, with expert support and the help of the World Health Organization, launched the north Karelia Project.

Pekka Puska reports in the document available for download below.

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application/pdf iconThe North Karelia Project by Pekka Puska
 3.35 MB