Non-communicable diseases kill 38 million people each year. Almost three quarters of non-communicable disease deaths — 28 million — occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Can you guess the non-communicable disease responsible for the most deaths worldwide? Choose one:
Cardiovascular diseases account for the most non-communicable disease deaths, or 17.5 million people annually, followed by cancers (8.2 million), respiratory diseases (4 million), and diabetes (1.5 million).
Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets all increase the risk of dying from a non-communicable disease.
Globally, PSI’s network members engage with policy makers, government leaders, academic institutions and other civil society organizations to increase awareness and support for non-communicable disease control and prevention.