British Columbians continue to live long and healthy lives, according to the 2010 Vital Statistics Annual Report from the Ministry of Health.

Life expectancy in B.C. remains the highest in Canada at 81.7 years for 2006-10, up from 81.4 for 2005-09. B.C.'s population also grew naturally by 13,647 in 2010, or at rate of 2.8 per thousand.

The report states cancer death rates in B.C. are falling, supporting the Province's leadership in cancer care, prevention and treatment resulting in some of the best cancer outcomes in the world. Heart disease mortality rates are lower and death rates from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis have dropped to 1994 levels.

However, mortality rates for chronic diseases like diabetes have increased slightly from 2009. This further supports the need for the Province's comprehensive Healthy Families BC strategy, which helps families make the healthy choice the easy choice.

At 55, the number of HIV deaths in B.C. in 2010 is down from 63 in 2009, and the lowest since 1995. This lower figure can be attributed to 30 years of leading-edge research along with community and health system efforts, which have helped turn HIV/AIDS from what was once a deadly epidemic into a chronic but manageable condition.

B.C. is the only province in Canada that is demonstrating a consistent decline in HIV. The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, under the leadership of Dr. Julio Montaner, plays a crucial role in research and treatment, positioning B.C. as a world leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The vital statistics document also found that just more than half the 2010 births in British Columbia were from mothers aged 30-39. In recent decades there has also been a gradual increase in multiple birth rates in B.C., rising from 1.9 per cent of all live births in 1986 to 3.2 per cent in 2010.

The 139th edition of the Vital Statistics Annual Report contains information collected from registrations of births, deaths, and marriages that happened in 2010. Information from the report is used for various aspects of health planning, research and education.

Quotes:

Minister of Health Michael de Jong -

"This report demonstrates the importance of health prevention and awareness policies and how many British Columbians can lead long and healthy lives. We will continue to help and encourage people to move forward on this path, which builds healthy families and communities and takes the financial strain off the health-care system."

Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Perry Kendall -

"It's very encouraging to see lower mortality rates for cancer and heart disease in British Columbia. It's my hope that even more people will be able to make choices that will reduce the risk factors for chronic disease, such as more exercise and eating reasonably well."

Learn More:

The 2010 Vital Statistics Annual report can be found at: www.vs.gov.bc.ca/stats/annual/2010

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

BACKGROUNDER

Feb. 24, 2012 Ministry of Health

British Columbians lead the way in healthy living

Selected highlights from the 2010 Annual Vital Statistics Report:

Births

* In 2010, there were a total of 43,667 live births, down from 44,887 in 2009.

* 51.3 per cent of the births in 2010 were to mothers aged 30 to 39.

* The most popular names for babies in 2010 were Jacob, Liam, Ethan and Lucas for boys, and Olivia, Ella, Emma and Sophia for girls.

Deaths

* The total number of deaths in B.C. in 2010 was 31,143, down from 31,240 in 2009.

* The leading cause of death was cancer.

* The oldest person to die in British Columbia in 2010 lived to be 108.

Marriages

* There were 22,311 marriages recorded in B.C. in 2010, down from 22,475 in 2009.

* There were 697 same-sex marriages in 2010, up from 600 in 2009.

* The average marrying age has increased since 1977 from 29.3 years to 35.4 years for men and from 26.2 years to 33.3 years for women.

On a typical day in British Columbia in 2010:

There were 119 births:

* 61 males and 58 females were born.

* 28 were born to mothers aged 35 or older.

* 4 were born to teenage moms.

There were 86 deaths:

* 44 males and 42 females died.

* 67 deaths were seniors aged 65 or older.

* 25 deaths were due to cancer.

There were 61 marriages:

* 41 marriages were to couples marrying for the first time.

* 39 were civil ceremonies.

* 22 were performed by religious representatives.

Contact:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)