Download Non-Communicable Diseases Fact Sheet What is a non

Non-Communicable Diseases Fact Sheet
What is a non-communicable disease?
Non-communicable or chronic diseases are diseases of long duration and generally slow progression.
The four main types of non-communicable diseasesi as defined by the WHO are:
Cardiovascular Diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke)
Cancer
Chronic Respiratory Diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and
asthma)
Diabetes
The leading causes of NCD deaths in 2008 were cardiovascular diseases (17 million deaths, or 48 percent
of all NCD deaths), cancers (7.6 million, or 21 percent of all NCD deaths), and respiratory diseases,
including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (4.2 million).ii Diabetes caused another 1.3
million deathsiii. (Note: diabetes rarely is listed as the cause of death on a death certificate. Many
people with diabetes die of a heart attack or stroke and their deaths are reflected in cardiovascular
disease statistics.)
A rising global epidemic
Non-communicable diseases are by far the leading cause of death in the world. Of the 57 million global
deaths in 2008, 36 million, or 63 percent, were due to NCDs.iv By 2030, non-communicable diseases will
account for 66 percent of the global disease burden.v
Some 80 percent of all NCD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Non-communicable
diseases are the most frequent causes of death in all regions of the world except Africa,vi where such
diseases are rising rapidly and are projected to cause almost three quarters as many deaths as
communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional diseases by 2020 – and to exceed them as the most
common causes of death by 2030.vii
Of the approximately 36 million people who die annually from NCDs, one-quarter are aged under 60
years, and regarded therefore as premature and largely preventable deaths.viii As these diseases take
lives, the also diminish opportunities. Poverty grinds on. Development stalls. Struggling communities
weaken even further. Families are decimated by the loss of loved ones or and potentially catastrophic
expenditures for treatment.ix
The rapidly growing magnitude of such diseases is driven in part by population aging, the impact of
urbanization and the globalization of trade and marketing. It is fuelled by the persistent increase in noncommunicable disease-related risk factors, namely, tobacco use, an unhealthy diet, lack of physical
activity and harmful alcohol use, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.x
Key factsxi
NCDs account for 63 percent of all deaths.
Eighty percent of NCDs deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
One-quarter of NCD deaths occur in people under the age of 60.
Around the world, NCDs affect women and men almost equally.
There are four major risk factors for NCDs: tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, poor diet and
physical inactivity.
One billion adults are overweight: Without action, this figure will surpass 1.5 billion by 2015.
Around 40 million children under five years old are overweight or obese.
Tobacco use kills more than five million people a year: This could rise to over eight million by
2030 unless urgent action is taken to control the tobacco epidemic.
Eliminating major risks could prevent most NCDs: If the major risk factors for chronic disease
were eliminated, at around three-quarters of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes would be
prevented; 40 percent of cancer would be prevented.
i
World Health Organization, “10 facts on noncommunicable diseases,” August 2011
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/en/index.html
ii
World Health Organization, “Global Health Observatory: Deaths from NCDs”
http://www.who.int/gho/ncd/mortality_morbidity/ncd_total_text/en/index.html
iii
World Health Organization, “Global Health Observatory: Deaths from NCDs”
http://www.who.int/gho/ncd/mortality_morbidity/ncd_total_text/en/index.html
iv
World Health Organization, “10 facts on noncommunicable diseases,” August 2011
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/facts/en/index.html; World Health Organization, “Global Health
Observatory: Deaths from NCDs” http://www.who.int/gho/ncd/mortality_morbidity/ncd_total/en/index.html; World Health Organization,
“Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010,” April 2011 http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report_chapter1.pdf
v
Global Health Council Website, http://www.globalhealth.org/infectious_diseases/global_view/; World Health Organization, “The global
burden of disease: 2004 update” http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/2004_report_update/en/index.html
vi
World Health Organization, “10 facts on noncommunicable diseases,” August 2011
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/en/index.html
vii
World Health Organization, “Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010,” April 2011
http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report_chapter1.pdf
viii
World Health Organization, “10 facts on noncommunicable diseases,” August 2011
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/en/index.html
ix
World Health Organization, “10 facts on noncommunicable diseases,” August 2011
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/en/index.html
x
World Health Organization, “10 facts on noncommunicable diseases,” August 2011
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/en/index.html
xi
World Health Organization, “10 facts on noncommunicable diseases,” August 2011
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/en/index.html