title: Noncommunicable Diseases of Major Public Health Interest and Prevention.
abstract: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs; mainly cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases) are now responsible for more than 35 million deaths per annum in the world; more than 80% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Dramatic worldwide changes in lifestyle and in the prevalence and incidence of major chronic diseases lends credence to the causative role of modifiable risk factors. For the elucidation of modifiable risk factors, large-scale prospective cohort studies with biobanks often combined in consortia are of paramount importance. Associations between selected risk factors and development of NCDs will be reviewed. In addition to the contribution of treatment, even larger proportions of NCDs can be prevented had risk factors been reduced to the optimum levels or eliminated. Individual-based approaches should be complemented by administrative regulations.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, Netherlands School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia bas.bueno.de.mesquita@rivm.nl.
authors.forename: H Bas
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Bueno-de-Mesquita
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014943:Global Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011634:Public Health; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: cancer; chronic diseases; noncommunicable diseases; prevention; risk factors