Why NCDs and Why Prevention
41 million people die each year from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These account for 74% of deaths worldwide.
The world’s leading cause of death
NCDs are chronic diseases that cannot be transferred from person to person. Instead, they result largely from individuals’ health behaviours influenced by the environment we live in (also called risk factors).
cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and strokes)
type 2 diabetes
chronic lung disease
cancers
Most NCDs slowly progress over a long time. But they are not inevitable! An estimated 80% of NCDs are preventable.
There are many opportunities to intervene in people’s lives before NCDs develop, or to reduce the burden on individual already living with chronic disease.
NCDs are the cause of most premature deaths. These statistics also mean that an unfathomable number of grandparents, parents, siblings, and children are needlessly suffering.
NCDs have a significant cost to the global economy: an estimated $30 trillion by 2030.
Diseases of inequality
Annually, 15 million people die before the age of 70 from NCDs, often leaving behind families who relied on them for financial support.
The WHO reports that of those 15 million people, over 85% live in low- and middle-income countries.
What do we mean by ‘risk factors’?
Risk factors are variables that increase risk of disease, many of these are behaviours such as diet, physical activity and alcohol and tobacco use, that are influenced by a person’s environment.
By focusing on reducing risk factors, NCDs are largely preventable.
Risk factors increase the likelihood of developing a disease. The primary risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are:
tobacco use
unhealthy food and drink (including harmful use of alcohol)
lack of physical activity
Although NCD prevention frequently focuses on individual behaviour change, we at C3 know that the environment we live in very much dictates our behaviours. It can be difficult – or next to impossible – to adopt healthy behaviours if your surroundings make being unhealthy the cheaper, easier option.
That’s why we leverage our convening expertise to bring together different groups, including individuals, communities, organisations, businesses, and policymakers, to collaborate on societal solutions that make it easier for people to live healthy lives.
What is the solution?
The solution to this public health crisis is to work with all sectors of society to make it easier for people to live healthy lives, which is at the core of our vision. Read more about C3’s programmes and ways that you too can to address the world’s biggest killer.
References
For more information about NCDs and their risk factors, we recommend visiting these webpages:
Why NCDs (NCD Alliance)
Global Status Report on NCDs (World Health Organization)
Non-communicable diseases (World Health Organization)
WHO tools to prevent and control non-communicable diseases
Non-communicable diseases and their risk factors
Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013-2020