Prevalence of chronic illnesses in Belgium 2001-2018

From 2001 to 2018, the prevalence of chronic illness increased in Belgium. During this period, the share of the Belgian population who suffered from a chronic disease increased by 4.2 percent. In 2018, over 29 percent of Belgians, aged 15 years and older, suffered from a chronic affliction. From a regional perspective, the prevalence of chronic illness in Flanders stood beneath the country average. On the other hand, the prevalence of such conditions was especially high in Wallonia, where one-third of the population suffered from a chronic illness. Prevalence of chronic conditions and gender disparities Regardless of gender, back pain was the most common chronic condition in Belgium. In 2018, roughly a quarter of the Belgian population suffered from back pain. However, the prevalence of certain chronic conditions varied greatly in terms of gender. Indeed, the second and third most common chronic conditions for Belgian men were hypercholesterolemia and high blood pressure, whereas the most common chronic conditions for Belgian women were osteoarthritis and allergies. Nonetheless, a common ground was found for allergies as it was the fourth most common condition for men. The evolution of back pain in Belgium In recent years, back pain appears to be affecting an increasing number of people in Belgium. Since 2008, the prevalence of lower back pain among Belgian men increased by five percent and by three percent among Belgian women. In 2018, over 23 percent of men and 26 percent of women were subject to back pain in Belgium. Such a condition can find its origin in various other health conditions but can also be a result of a sedentary lifestyle.

自2001年至2018年，比利时慢性疾病的发生率持续上升。在此期间，患有慢性疾病的比利时人口比例上升了4.2个百分点。至2018年，超过29%的比利时15岁及以上民众遭受慢性疾病的困扰。从区域角度来看，弗拉芒地区的慢性疾病发生率低于全国平均水平。另一方面，瓦隆地区的慢性疾病发生率尤为显著，该地区有三分之一的人口患有慢性疾病。在慢性疾病的发生率和性别差异方面，无论性别如何，腰痛在比利时是最常见的慢性疾病。2018年，大约有四分之一的比利时人遭受腰痛的折磨。然而，某些慢性疾病的发生率在性别方面存在显著差异。事实上，对于比利时男性而言，第二和第三常见的慢性疾病分别是高胆固醇血症和高血压，而对于比利时女性而言，最常见的慢性疾病是骨关节炎和过敏。尽管如此，过敏在男女之间找到了共同点，因为它既是男性第四常见的疾病。近年来，比利时腰痛的演变趋势表明，腰痛似乎正在影响越来越多的比利时人。自2008年以来，比利时男性腰痛的发生率上升了5%，女性上升了3%。至2018年，比利时男性中有超过23%的人，女性中有26%的人遭受腰痛之苦。此类状况可能源于各种其他健康问题，也可能是由久坐不动的生活方式所致。