About 15 percent of Israelis have experienced anxiety or emotional disorders at least once in their lives, with the attendant difficulties in concentration, comprehension and organized thought. They say they have felt unhappy, unable to derive pleasure from daily life, unsuccessful in coping with day-to-day difficulties, or lacking in self-confidence. The incidence of emotional disorders has been higher among women (at 17.4 percent of the population) than for men (11 percent), and 8 percent of the population reported the symptoms of clinical depression.

These are among the findings of a Health Ministry survey carried out in 2003-04 as part of a 27-country World Health Organization study. Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) pollsters interviewed 4,859 Israelis aged 21 and over (not including Arab residents of East Jerusalem), asking 100 detailed questions about their mental and physical health as well as their lifestyle in a one-hour session.

	Advertisement

About two-thirds of all respondents rated their mental health as very good or excellent (66 percent of men, 61 percent of women), but with respect to those aged 65 or over, the proportion declined to 40 percent for male respondents and 31 percent for females. Among immigrants from the former Soviet Union, only one-quarter described their mental health as very good or excellent.

While 57 percent of all male respondents described their overall health (mental and physical) as very good or excellent, only 53 percent of women did.

One-fifth of respondents reported turning to mental health professionals for help in dealing with emotional pressure, "nerves," "bad moods" or substance abuse. Only 7 percent of Israeli Arabs reported doing this, as compared to 22 percent of Israeli Jews. Only about 14 percent of respondents aged 65 and up said they have approached a mental health professional for help. Eight percent of all respondents reported using prescription drugs to cope with sleep disorders, stress, a lack of energy or inability to concentrate.

Among respondents aged 21-44, only 4 percent reported using these medications, while among those aged 75 and over, that figure rose to 27 percent.

Thirty percent of respondents reported sleep disturbances during the year prior to the survey (36 percent of women, 23 percent of men), whereas about half of those aged 65 and over reported having this problem.

Forty-six percent of respondents reported taking at least one prescription medication in the week prior to the interview; about 20 percent said they had taken at least three different prescription drugs. Among those aged 75 and up, about 75 percent reported taking at least three drugs.

Drug use in Israel is relatively high, with 36 percent of respondents regularly taking over-the-counter medications.

Obesity (defined as a Body Mass Index of 25 percent or more) is relatively prevalent in Israel: 16 percent of women and 14 percent of men were defined as obese. At 18 percent, the obesity rate among Arabs in Israel is higher than among Jews (14 percent), which may be explained by socioeconomic factors. Immigrants from the CIS are even more likely to be obese: 21 percent of respondents were classified in this group.

Obese individuals are known to have a higher incidence of heart problems, back and spinal injuries, and chronic skin problems. In addition, they are at higher risk of cancer than individuals of average weight.

Twenty-nine percent of respondents reported doing regular physical activity (at least three times a week). The percentage was higher for men, at 31 percent, than for women, at 26 percent. Among Arabs, only 15 percent reported having a regular exercise routine.