About this Research Topic

Background

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promote and highlight the importance of NCDs, with an aim to reduce NCDs by one-third by 2030. Poor diet, low physical inactivity, tobacco use, and hypertension are significant risk factors for many NCDs including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes, stroke, chronic artery diseases, and cancer.

Although there is a high burden of NCDs in developing countries, there is only 6%-8% of published research on NCDs from these countries, with only 23% of the 20 identified World Health Organization (WHO) priority research areas for prevention and control of NCDs, belonged to low and middle-income countries (LMICs). One example is that despite the dismal scenario of NCDs in India, there is limited research in this field, which hampers effective decision-making, and it is estimated that improved NCD control which focuses on tobacco use and hypertension can prevent 500,000 premature deaths across the country. By increasing public knowledge and awareness of NCDs and their risk factors, could encourage individuals to consciously make and promote healthier life choices and disengage from NCD risk-associated behaviors. In turn, this would contribute to the prevention and control of these diseases that are collectively responsible for around 74% of deaths worldwide.

Considering these points, research is essential to identify and address the gaps in public knowledge in order to educate the population on the risk factors of NCDs, promote healthy lifestyles, and implement and improve the effectiveness of NCD interventions. The WHO developed the global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs that laid down a blueprint for action at a national level. Promoting research and awareness is one of the key objectives of the action plan to protect and promote public health. Through this objective, it was also called upon to build the research capacity at the national level, especially in LMICs to conduct quality analytical and operational research (OR) for strengthening the implementation of NCD interventions and programs.

This Research Topic aims to raise awareness of the events or trends in NCDs, and promote global prevention and control of NCDs in order to improve public health. In addition, this Research Topic aims to examine relationships among variables cross-sectionally or longitudinally. In cognizance of the crucial role played by OR in NCD policy design and program implementation, this collection welcomes submissions around the following themes, but not limited to:

• Relationship and trends between risk factors (e.g., tobacco use, hypertension, poor/unhealthy diet, low physical activity) and NCDs;
• How can adopting healthier lifestyle habits contribute to NCD prevention and control, and improve health benefits?
• Current successful and innovative strategies to increase public awareness and knowledge of NCDs;
• Current successful and innovative strategies to identify and address gaps in public education of NCDs and their risk factors (i.e., how can this be promoted amongst practitioners, in policymaking and occupational and school settings?);
• Age-wise prevalence of NCDs and risk factors of NCDs;
• Socio-economic gradients and distribution;
• Uncontrolled NCDs and their risk factors;
• Policy on tobacco control and cardiovascular diseases for advancing the prevention and control of NCDs at the national and international levels;
• Tobacco use and hypertension among specific groups (women of childbearing age, pregnant females, productive age group, oldest old, middle-aged, etc);
• Any other topic related to NCDs and risk factors.

Keywords: noncommunicable diseases, NCDs, risk factors and trends, global prevention and control, public awareness and education, health promotion, NCD risk factors

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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