Most people, not living on an isolated South Pacific island, would agree with that statement. Stress is not something new. It has been around for as long as we humans have been around. A cold winter is stressful, even if you have a warm house and warm clothes. A super-hot summer is stressful.
All illnesses are stressful.
Financial worries, or any worries for that matter, subject the body to stress. Taking a test is stressful. Arguing with your mate is stressful. Simply feeling cheated is stressful. The role of stress has been extensively documented in heart disease, cancer, even automobile accidents.