NCD Watch

Burden of Non-communicable Diseases : An Update

16 April 2024 (Tue)

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are major causes of death, disability and ill-health. At a global level, NCDs kill 41 million people, equivalent to 74% of all deaths each year. The major types of NCDs are cancer, cardiovascular diseases (such as heart diseases and stroke), diabetes mellitus (or simply called diabetes) and chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma).

In Hong Kong, the Population Health Survey (PHS) 2020-22 estimated that 43.2% of non-institionalised persons aged 15 or above had one or more doctor-diagnosed chronic health conditions. Of 61 557 registered deaths in 2022 in Hong Kong, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases accounted for about 45% of all registered deaths in the year.

The PHS 2020-22 revealed that risk factors of NCDs (including physical inactivity, unhealthy eating, smoking and alcohol drinking, overweight and obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, and raised blood cholesterol) were prevalent among the general population. The risk factors of today are the diseases of tomorrow. From public health perspective, better control of the modifiable risk factors are of particular importance in NCD prevention and control. Intervening upstream on a cluster of behavioural risk factors can induce parallel reductions in the prevalence of biological risk factors, thereby reducing the incidence of NCD and possibly preventing or delaying a substantial number of NCD premature deaths.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to the prevention and control of NCDs. The Department of Health will continue to promote healthy living and use a variety of strategies to enhance people’s health literacy and capacity to make healthy choices.

Individuals can contribute in the fight against NCDs by looking after their own health and choosing to live in healthy ways. Furthermore, members of the public should seek medical advice when necessary for health assessment, prompt disease detection and timely management. Working in partnership, we can make ourselves healthier and Hong Kong a healthier city!

Source: NCD Watch April 2024