Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study highlights NCD risk factors
November / December 2020 | Volume 19, Number 6
A worldwide crisis of chronic diseases and failure of public health to stem the rise in preventable risk factors have left populations vulnerable to acute health emergencies such as COVID-19, according to the
2019 Global Burden of Disease study.
“Most of these risk factors are preventable and treatable, and tackling them will bring huge social and economic benefits. We are failing to change unhealthy behaviors, particularly those related to diet quality, caloric intake and physical activity, in part due to inadequate policy attention and funding for public health and behavioral research,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, who led the research.
The study reveals that the rise in exposure to key risk factors - including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high body-mass index, and elevated cholesterol - combined with rising deaths from cardiovascular disease, suggest that the world might be approaching a turning point in life expectancy gains.
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