The UK Public Health Association has taken part in WHO’s global consultation on a strategy for non-communicable diseases.
Non-communicable disease (NCD) is an awkward, obscure term, more usually thought of in terms of chronic disease, food-related disease or lifestyle diseases - what some have called the ’disease of inactivity’. There is little confusion about its impact though.
In the US, for example, NCDs are about to overtake smoking in terms of scale and cost. In that country in 2000 the total cost of obesity was estimated at US$117 billion, fast approaching the $140 billion cost of smoking.
In 20 years the proportion of children who are overweight rose from 6% to 14%. The World Health Organization (WHO) calculates that the impact in the developing world will be even more dramatic.
The WHO meetings culminated with sessions with the world’s biggest food corporations and leading international NGO’s - though of course not together. (Click here for an account of the meeting with corporations
Outgoing WHO Director General Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland met with NGOs on 16th May 2003 and listened to their concerns about the marketing of high fat, high sugar and high salt foods to children, resulting in the rapid spread of obesity, diabetes and other ills.
This was followed by a daylong consultation on what NGOs themselves wanted. Particular expressions of concern came from physical activity and sports NGOs who said that there was not enough attention given to combating sedentary lifestyles.
The final form of the strategy will be available by January 2004, for ratification at the World Health Assembly in May. Background papers and the draft strategy can be found on the WHO website.
