Adolescent non-communicable diseases

Abstract

Four non-communicable diseases (NCDs): cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions, are responsible for 63% of deaths worldwide. Most of these deaths (86%) occur in low and middle-income countries, where the highest proportion of adolescents live. Four shared behavioural risk factors for NCDs (tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol) are usually acquired during adolescence and persist throughout life. For example, globally 100,000 young people start smoking each day and over 90% of adults who smoke started during childhood or adolescence. This chapter will explore each of these risk factors, the impact on adolescent health and what steps are being taken to address these problems, as well as the contribution of chronic disease to the NCDs.