Cardiovascular, respiratory, and related conditions cause more than 40 percent of all deaths globally, and their substantial burden is rising, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Their burden extends well beyond health effects to include significant economic and societal consequences. Most of these conditions are related, share risk factors, and have common control measures at the clinical, population, and policy levels. Lives can be extended and improved when these diseases are prevented, detected, and managed. This volume summarizes current knowledge and presents evidence-based interventions that are effective, cost-effective, and scalable in LMICs.

The modern way of life is, to a large extent, connected with a number of problems that occur in the field of public health, and non-communicable diseases are one of them. It is well-know that non-communicable diseases are chronic diseases that tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral factors. The main types of non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, while the main risk factors are modifiable behavioral risk factors (such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol) and metabolic risk factors (such as raised blood pressure, overweight/obesity, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia). According to WHO data, non-communicable diseases kill more than 40 million people each year, which is equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally. It is also true that more than 15 million people die each year from non-communicable diseases between the ages of 30 and 69 years. According to the same source, other cardiovascular diseases account for most non-communicable deaths annually (about 17.9 million people), but deaths caused by cancers (about 9.3 million), respiratory diseases (about 4.1 million), and diabetes (about 1.5 million) are not far away. This indicates the need for further focus on this very important social issue in the 21st century, also to be address as part of the United Nations 2030 agenda. Although ancient physicians, including those from China and Ancient Greece, believed in the value of physical activity for health, a diametrically opposite view has prevailed instead by the twentieth century. Since the first rigorous, epidemiologic studies investigating physical inactivity and chronic disease risk has been conducted in the last century, a large body of evidence has clearly documented the many health benefits of physical activity; however, a large proportion of the world’s population remains physically inactive. For this reason, this Research Topic aims to continue developing knowledge of the effects of physical (in)activity on major non-communicable diseases, and a better understanding of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral factors which are convincingly related.

Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and treat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease stroke diabetes and breast and colon cancer. It also helps to prevent hypertension overweight and obesity and can improve mental health quality of life and well-being. In addition to the multiple health benefits of physical activity societies that are more active can generate additional returns on investment including a reduced use of fossil fuels cleaner air and less congested safer roads. These outcomes are interconnected with achieving the shared goals political priorities and ambition of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. The new WHO global action plan to promote physical activity responds to the requests by countries for updated guidance and a framework of effective and feasible policy actions to increase physical activity at all levels. It also responds to requests for global leadership and stronger regional and national coordination and the need for a whole-of-society response to achieve a paradigm shift in both supporting and valuing all people being regularly active according to ability and across the life course. The action plan was developed through a worldwide consultation process involving governments and key stakeholders across multiple sectors including health sports transport urban design civil society academia and the private sector.

Sixth edition of the hugely successful, internationally recognised textbook on global public health and epidemiology, with 3 volumes comprehensively covering the scope, methods, and practice of the discipline

This global status report on prevention and control of NCDs (2014), is framed around the nine voluntary global targets. The report provides data on the current situation, identifying bottlenecks as well as opportunities and priority actions for attaining the targets. The 2010 baseline estimates on NCD mortality and risk factors are provided so that countries can report on progress, starting in 2015. In addition, the report also provides the latest available estimates on NCD mortality (2012) and risk factors, 2010-2012. All ministries of health need to set national NCD targets and lead the development and implementation of policies and interventions to attain them. There is no single pathway to attain NCD targets that fits all countries, as they are at different points in their progress in the prevention and control of NCDs and at different levels of socioeconomic development. However all countries can benefit from the comprehensive response to attaining the voluntary global targets presented in this report.--Publisher description.

"This report sets out the statistics, evidence and experiences needed to launch a more forceful response to the growing threat posed by noncommunicable diseases. While advice and recommendations are universally relevant, the report gives particular attention to conditions in low- and middle-income countries, which now bear nearly 80% of the burden from diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. The health consequences of the worldwide epidemic of obesity are also addressed. The report takes an analytical approach, using global, regional and country-specific data to document the magnitude of the problem, project future trends, and assess the factors contributing to these trends. As noted, the epidemic of these diseases is being driven by forces now touching every region of the world: demographic aging, rapid unplanned urbanization, and the globalization of unhealthy lifestyles"--Publisher's description.

Promotes value of lifelong moderate exercise.