A Report On Non-Communicable Diseases

In 2008 36 million people died from non-communicable diseases, that is about 63% of the 57 million global deaths. The United Nations Secretary General declared in a recent report that while diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis have been given much attention globally non-communicable diseseas such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer have gone un-noticed. The Secretary called for urgent action to start in order to solve what he has seen as a 21st century health challenge. The risk factors, physical inactivity, obesity, tobacco use and unhealthy diet are responsible for this global epidemic. Other factors such as the aging population, the negative impact of urbanization and the globalization of trade and marketing also play a role in the increasing magnitude of these diseases. Read the report Thanks to consumer and patient health education programs people can learn to reduce or eliminate the risk factors that cause them. This health education blog is a good place to start, and to take responsibility for protecting your health from these diseases.