these behaviours are related to several major diseases for instance circulatory and respiratory diseases and different forms of cancer and according to calculations published by the who who table highincome countries they are responsible for more than five million annual deaths in highincome countries worldwide more specifically the who estimates suggest that per cent of the deaths and per cent of the disabilityadjusted life years are caused by a modifiable health risk highincome countries the last half century has brought large populationwide changes in healthrelated behaviour some of these changes for instance the decrease in smoking prevalence in several countries can be expected to have had beneficial health effects