Chronic diseases and conditions—such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis—are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. They are also among the most costly and preventable of all health problems.
Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), primarily cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, are responsible for 63% of all deaths worldwide (36 million out 57 million global deaths).
More than 9 million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occur before the age of 60.
Around the world, NCDs affect women and men almost equally.
NCDs are largely preventable through effective interventions that tackle shared risk factors, namely: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol
NCDs are not only a health problem but a development challenge as well. These diseases force many people into, or entrench them in poverty due to catastrophic expenditures for treatment. They also have a large impact on undercutting productivity.
Tobacco use kills nearly 6 million people a year. By 2020, this number will increase to 7.5 million, accounting for 10% of all deaths.
Eliminating major risks could prevent most NCDs. If the major risk factors for Chronic Conditions / Non Communicable Diseases were eliminated, 75% of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes would be prevented; and 40% of cancer would be prevented.