| India hub of cardiovascular, Cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases’ | | | Vijay Garg
India is witnessing a worrying rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases
How huge is India’s NCD burden?
They account for about 63% of all deaths in India, but this number alone doesn’t capture the real crisis. What truly matters is the share of these deaths that occur between the ages of 30 and 70 - what the WHO defines as premature mortality.
In India, NCDs are cutting lives short during the most productive years, when people are most needed by their families, communities, and the economy. That is where the focus must lie: reducing premature mortality from NCDs. Globally, countries have committed under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4 to reduce premature NCD mortality by one-third by 2030.
India has a long way to go. Currently, around 25-26% of NCD deaths in India occur in the 30–70 age group. By comparison, the figure is roughly 23% in Brazil, while in developed nations such as the Nordic countries or the United States, it is closer to 10–15%.
These numbers underline why India cannot simply compare itself to global averages. The challenge is not just about how many people die of NCDs, but when they die. Preventing early deaths is the real public health priority because no family, no society, and no economy can afford to lose people in their prime.
How serious is the situation?
India is witnessing a worrying rise in NCDs among young adults - a trend that makes routine preventive check-ups and early health promotion more important than ever. Among NCDs, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are increasing most rapidly. Diabetes in particular is appearing earlier in life, with an estimated 8-10 lakh children in India living with type 1 diabetes.
While the absolute numbers are still small, the upward trend is unmistakable, and it is a red flag we cannot ignore. The real concern lies in how rapidly the NCD burden has grown in just a decade. Intervention must begin early, across the life course. Health promotion shouldn’t wait until adulthood. It must start with pregnant women, children, and adolescents and continue throughout life.
India now faces a triple burden: under-nutrition, multiple micronutrient deficiencies, and growing rates of overweight and obesity. Alarmingly, obesity has already overtaken underweight as a leading nutritional issue. If India does not act decisively through health promotion, prevention, and timely management; these cases will continue to rise. The path forward lies in early detection, stronger health literacy, and healthier environments so that India’s young people can grow up protected from the lifelong burden of NCDs.
India has a National Program for Prevention and Control of NCD (NP-NCD). Should its ambit be expanded to include children?
The focus today is moving earlier, towards child-centric health promotion and prevention. With government leadership and support from UNICEF and other experts, India is exploring ways to start early screening in schools.
The urgency is clear. Changing lifestyles, poor diets, and rising consumption of processed foods are fueling health risks. The next frontier for India’s NCD strategy is therefore not just treatment but health literacy and responsible communication. Building awareness from a young age, through schools, families, and communities, will be key to ensuring healthier choices, stronger prevention, and a lifetime of protection against NCDs.
What steps must India take to reduce the NCD burden?
India has a proven track record in public health, whether it was eradicating polio or delivering COVID-19 vaccinations at scale, with speed and safety. Despite conspiracy theories that have challenged vaccines globally, India has consistently treated immunisation as one of the highest-return public health investments. Now, the government is preparing to roll out the HPV vaccine and bring together various child-focused NCD initiatives under one umbrella. This integrated approach will allow for early screening, prevention, and management of NCDs in children.
Healthy food is not always available or affordable, while processed foods dominate store shelves and advertising. Cultural perceptions also shape choices—for example, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months is one of the simplest and most powerful protections against NCD risk, yet formula feeding is often mistakenly seen as more aspirational.
Nutrition labels (front-of-pack labelling) that are simple, bold, and color-coded—like those used in Singapore—help consumers, including children and families with low literacy, make healthier choices at a glance. India can benefit from adopting an equally clear system. By starting early, India can not only prevent disease but also secure a healthier, more productive future for its next generation.
Vijay Garg Retired Principal Educational columnist Eminent Educationist street kour Chand MHR Malout Punjab |
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