By The risk of death from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory illnesses has increased in India between 2010 and 2019, according to a recent study published in The Lancet.
While global trends show a decline in NCD mortality, India is among the countries where these deaths have risen significantly, especially for women.
Rising NCD Mortality in India
The study highlights that:
- For women, the probability of dying from an NCD before age 80 rose from 46.6% in 2011 to 48.7% in 2019.
- For men, the increase was smaller at 0.1%, attributed partly to improved diagnosis and treatment for conditions like ischemic heart disease and liver cirrhosis.
- The highest risk exists for women over 40 and men over 55.
The major contributors to the increase were heart disease and diabetes, including diabetes-related chronic kidney disease.
Diseases Showing Improvement
The study also noted declines in mortality for:
- Liver cirrhosis (both sexes)
- Stomach cancer, COPD, stroke, and other circulatory diseases (men)
Despite these improvements, lung cancer mortality has increased in India, making it one of five countries worldwide showing a rise in deaths from this disease. The other countries are Armenia, Iran, Egypt, and Papua New Guinea.
Global Perspective
Globally, the probability of dying from an NCD:
- Increased in 33 countries for women and 38 for men
- Decreased in 147 countries for women and 152 for men
The authors caution that findings for India are based on low-quality data and are subject to uncertainty, meaning the results should be interpreted carefully.
Key Takeaways
- NCD deaths are rising in India, particularly among women over 40.
- Heart disease and diabetes are the main drivers of this increase.
- Global trends show declining NCD mortality, highlighting India as an outlier.
- Public health interventions focusing on prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment are crucial.
