The Lies We’ve Been Sold and the Policies That Could Save Us

How Not to Die (Too Soon)

Have you ever questioned why, despite the avalanche of self-help books and optimization hacks, we remain embroiled in multiple global health crises? Populations worldwide are gaining life-shortening excess weight (even in poorer countries), and water contamination is rampant (even in richer countries). In such dire circumstances, a gratitude journal won’t help. 
 
The stark reality is that we've been sold a monumental lie. The obsession with individual health optimization has distracted us from the real game-changer: holding governments accountable for policies that can significantly extend our lifespans. Even where progress has been made, such as the UK’s indoor smoking ban, other issues arise. Lax policies on vaping mean two-thirds of young vapers don’t know their products contain nicotine. Meanwhile, breathing the air in Delhi is akin to smoking 10–15 cigarettes daily, cutting life expectancy by 17 years. And in many poorer regions, ultra-processed foods are mistakenly seen as healthier than local, wholefood diets due to aggressive marketing. 
 
So, what can we do – not just as individuals but as a society – to enhance our longevity? How Not to Die (Too Soon) urges readers to learn from other nations’ successes and failures. Why are the British generally less healthy than the Danes? Why does Japan have a higher life expectancy than the United States? How can developing countries like India, Senegal, and Ghana avoid the health pitfalls that have ensnared affluent nations? 
 
Drawing from global case studies, cutting-edge research, and two decades of expertise in global public health, this book dismantles the myth that culture and politics are immutable. It shows that change is possible, citing surprising examples like Amsterdam’s successful transformation from a car-focussed city into a cycling capital. How Not to Die (Too Soon) is a vital, transformative guide that shifts the focus from individual responsibility to societal accountability. It’s time to demand the changes that will save lives.

‘One of the most brilliant scientists in the world’

‘One of the most important voices of reason of the COVID era’

Devi Sridhar is a writer, broadcaster and world-leading expert in public health and wellbeing. She is Professor and Chair of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh and has advised the WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO and the Scottish, UK and German governments. Devi appears regularly on ITV and Channel 4 News, has a weekly column in the Guardian, tweets to over 300,000 followers, and recently became a certified Level 3 Personal Trainer. Her first book, Preventable, was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week and a Sunday Times bestseller.

Devi Sridhar

Preventable

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