Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill 38 million people each year?
These diseases are driven by forces that include ageing, rapid
unplanned urbanization, and the globalization of unhealthy lifestyles. For
example, globalization of unhealthy lifestyles like unhealthy diets may show up
in individuals as raised blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated
blood lipids, and obesity. These are called 'intermediate risk factors' which
can lead to cardiovascular disease, a NCD.
NCDs threaten progress towards
the UN Millennium Development Goals and post-2015 development agenda. Poverty
is closely linked with NCDs. The rapid rise in NCDs is predicted to impede
poverty reduction initiatives in low-income countries, particularly by
increasing household costs associated with health care. Vulnerable and socially
disadvantaged people get sicker and die sooner than people of higher social
positions, especially because they are at greater risk of being exposed to
harmful products, such as tobacco or unhealthy food, and have limited access to
health services.
In low-resource settings,
health-care costs for cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes or chronic
lung diseases can quickly drain household resources, driving families into
poverty. The exorbitant costs of NCDs, including often lengthy and expensive
treatment and loss of breadwinners, are forcing millions of people into poverty
annually, stifling development.
In many countries, harmful
drinking and unhealthy diet and lifestyles occur both in higher and lower
income groups. However, high-income groups can access services and products
that protect them from the greatest risks while lower-income groups can often
not afford such products and services.
An important way to reduce NCDs
is to focus on lessening the risk factors associated with these diseases.
Low-cost solutions exist to reduce the common modifiable risk factors (mainly
tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, and the harmful use of
alcohol) and map the epidemic of NCDs and their risk factors.
Leading a healthy lifestyle will help reduce the risk of getting this diseases.
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