Textbook of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine: Outdoor Air Pollution and Respiratory Health

According to the Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion of the World Health Organization (WHO), main chronic diseases include cardiovascular diseases (30% of projected total worldwide deaths in 2005), cancer (13%), chronic respiratory diseases (7%) and diabetes (2%). Chronic diseases are often defined as problems of ageing communities mainly caused by tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. According to WHO, in Europe 86% of deaths are caused by chronic diseases. However, chronic diseases are a large problem in low-income countries also (especially among those who do not have the resources to improve the quality of life). Recent evidence highlighted that deaths from cardiopulmonary diseases and lung cancer occur at earlier ages in low- and middle-income countries, where prevention is not a priority. It has been estimated that 35 million people died in 2005 due to stroke, cancer, and heart, respiratory and other chronic diseases. Only 20% of these deaths were in high-income countries, while 80% were in low- and middle-income countries. In an estimate of the proportions of total deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost in India, it was estimated that 53% of deaths were caused by chronic diseases, compared with 61% of deaths over the world, in 2005. Moreover, chronic diseases caused 44% of DALYs.4 Compared to India, China showed higher estimates for chronic diseases mortality (80%) and DALYs (70%); there was the highest rate of death from chronic disease in middle aged people.