Context:
- According to WHO, Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)- mainly cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and cancer — continue to be the top killers in the South-East Asia Region.
About the Report
- The four ‘major’ NCDs are caused, to a large extent, by four modifiable behavioural risk factors:
(a) tobacco use
(b) unhealthy diet
(c) insufficient physical activity
(d) harmful use of alcohol - Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease, are collectively responsible for over 70% of all deaths worldwide, or 41 million people.
- These include 15 million people dying prematurely, aged between 30 and 69.
How this be reduced?
- A study conducted worldwide has noted that consuming fibre and whole grains can reduce health risks from non-communicable diseases such as heart disease.
- The eating fibre-rich foods reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer by 16% to 24%.
- Higher fibre intake is also associated with lower body weight, systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol when compared with lower intake.
Source:TH