Margareth Dalcolmo: “Brasil envelheceu rápido e ainda não se deu conta” | THE BUSINESS OF LIFE

Published on: October 29, 2024 In about 15 years, the Brazilian population is expected to reach its peak – estimated at 230 million people – and, from then on, will begin to decline. “Brazil has aged too quickly and hasn't realized it yet,” says pulmonologist Margareth Dalcolmo. “We need to prepare for a new vision of care. From 2040 onwards, population growth will be concentrated in the older age groups, above 80 years old,” she stated in this episode of The Business of Life. A professor at PUC-RJ, Dalcolmo specialized in the treatment of pulmonary diseases at Fiocruz, where she is currently a researcher, and was a pioneer in the fight against smoking in Brazil. In 2024, she received the title of Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor of France for her contribution to science and public health. In this interview, she recalls that Brazil managed to reduce the smoking rate from 40% to about 10% of the population in 30 years, thanks to awareness campaigns. The concern now is the electronic cigarette. “This invention, which I call diabolical, from the tobacco industry. In just five days, a person can become dependent, as the nicotine concentration is 100 times higher than that of a regular cigarette, in addition to containing flavoring substances and heavy metals, many of which are carcinogenic,” she said. “We are manufacturing diseases that previously only appeared at age 70, such as lung cancer and emphysema,” she warns. “Without educational measures, in a short time we will see cases of lung cancer in people in their 30s. Imagine the cost of this for an aging country like Brazil.” Watch it on Brazil Journal: https://braziljournal.com/margareth-d...