2011-09-19
The UN is arranging a global high-level meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), primarily heart- and circulatory disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disorders and their risk factors, in New York on September 19-20. This is the second time the UN has chosen to arrange a meeting of this format regarding a health issue, the first being HIV/AIDS, which shows what a priority these diseases have become in global terms.
Over 150 nations will be represented at the high-level meeting, including Sweden, which will be represented by members of parliament, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, the Swedish National Institute of Public Health, the National Food Administration, researchers and professional organisation representatives.
Non-communicable diseases, or NCDs, comprise over 60 percent of the global disease burden, and the socioeconomic effects of these diseases, including productivity losses, are enormous (see below for some quick facts). In Sweden alone the four main risk factors for NCDs, namely tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful consumption of alcohol, are estimated to cost Swedish society SEK 55 billion yearly. The diseases can be largely prevented through effective measures targeted at the four main risk factors; elimination of these would prevent 75 % of heart disease, stroke, and type-2 diabetes, as well as 40 % of cancers.
The goal for the UN top-level meeting in New York is to produce a concise, action-oriented document that will form the global agenda in fighting NCDs for coming generations.
The Swedish National Institute of Public Health, together with the National Food Administration and the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs will be holding a side-event on Tuesday the 20th of September, 13:15, at the Swedish permanent mission to the UN in New York, on methods and strategies for reducing NCDs.
Those in the area who are interested in attending should contact the Swedish UN mission by email: recept...@foreign.ministry.se.
Some quick facts about NCDs:
- NCDs account for 63 % of all deaths globally, or approximately 36 million deaths per year, of which 9 million are under the age of 60.
- 80 % of deaths caused by NCDs occur in low- and middle-income countries.
- Globally, men and women are affected by NCDs equally.
- Economic analysis suggest that for every 10 % increase in the prevalence of NCDs, yearly macroeconomic growth is reduced by 0,5 %. Productivity losses due to the diseases are a large part of this lost growth.
- In Sweden, 1.8 million adults eat less fruit and vegetables than recommended, almost 1 million Swedes have an inactive lifestyle during their free time, and over 900 000 smoke every day.
Sources: Global Status Report on Non-Communicable Diseases 2010, WHO and National Public Health Policy Report 2010, Swedish National Institute of Public Health
updated Monday, September 19, 2011
