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Heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions are the world’s top killer diseases and deadlier than diseases like AIDS and H1N1, according to United Nations official.
United Nations University-International Institute for Global Health director Tan Sri Dr Mohamed Salleh Mohamed Yasin said the above study was terrifying because these diseases were ‘highly avoidable’ and were due to lifestyle selections.
“Such non-infectious diseases or chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs), also contribute to 60 percent of all deaths worldwide,” he was quoted as saying.
“It is twice the number of the combined deaths caused by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and perinatal conditions and nutritional deficiencies,” he added.
Salleh also said that such diseases were silent killers and would involve those who have no control over their diet and exercise.
“The rise in these CNCDs may be caused by the improved standard of living in countries like India and China where people become more affluent and eat richer foods,” he said.
He added that the four major diseases were identified by the recently formed Global Alliances for Chronic Diseases in its opening summit in New Delhi and that it was now looking to coordinate research to fight the diseases.
