Where are you most likely to die from non-communicable disease?
YOU are more likely to be killed by a non-communicable disease (NCD), like cancer or heart disease, than anything else. In 2008 they accounted for 63% of the 56m deaths worldwide. Growing populations and increased longevity are making the problem worse. By 2030, 22% of people in the OECD club of rich countries will be 65 or older, nearly double the share in 1990. China will catch up just six years later. About half of American adults already have a chronic condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, and as the world becomes richer the diseases of the rich spread farther. In the slums of Calcutta, although infectious diseases claim the young; for middle-aged adults, heart disease and cancer are the most common killers.
