Common diseases in China overlooked

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Environmental and public health research in China has largely focused on the effects of environmental pollution on health. Few studies have addressed the environment's effect on noncommunicable diseases, despite the fact that almost one out of five people in China has been diagnosed with one ([ 1 ][1]). Surprisingly, the National Planning for Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases of China (2012–2015), jointly promulgated by the Ministry of Health and other 14 national departments ([ 1 ][1]), failed to mention this research. Accordingly, this research has not been funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology or the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the two principal national funding agencies of basic research in China. Noncommunicable diseases were emphasized as “a critical public health problem in China” in the 2012 Planning exercise ([ 1 ][1]), but relevant research has yet to be incorporated into the 2014 and 2015 National Key Basic Research Programs and Significant Research Programs of China developed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, which continues to prioritize biomedical approaches ([ 2 ][2], [ 3 ][3]). Moreover, this line of research is completely missing in the National Natural Science Foundation of China funding programs. Unfortunately, with approximately 260 million Chinese afflicted with noncommunicable diseases ([ 1 ][1]), the prevailing conditions hinder research development, resulting in Chinese prevention strategies that are more administrative than scientific. Given the research complexities, a long-term and systematic funding plan is required to ensure continued funding. 1. [↵][4] The Ministry of Health of China et al. , The National Planning for Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases of China (2012–2015) \[in Chinese\] (2012); [www.nhfpc.gov.cn/zhuzhan/wsbmgz/201304/b8de7b7415ca4996b3567e5a09e43300.shtml][5]. 2. [↵][6] The Ministry of Science and Technology of China, The 2014 and 2015 Priority Support Directions of National Key Basic Research Programs and Significant Research Programs of China \[in Chinese\] (2013); [www.most.gov.cn/tztg/201302/t20130201_99485.htm][7]. 3. [↵][8] The Ministry of Science and Technology of China, The 2015 Priority Support Directions of National Key Basic Research Programs and Significant Research Programs of China \[in Chinese\] (2014); [www.most.gov.cn/tztg/201402/t20140220_111908.htm][9]. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [5]: http://www.nhfpc.gov.cn/zhuzhan/wsbmgz/201304/b8de7b7415ca4996b3567e5a09e43300.shtml [6]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [7]: http://www.most.gov.cn/tztg/201302/t20130201_99485.htm [8]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3 in text [9]: http://www.most.gov.cn/tztg/201402/t20140220_111908.htm