It has been a remarkable year for global advocacy on noncommunicable disease (NCDs) and mental health. NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, and mental health conditions, are the leading cause of death, illness and disability. Over 75% of non-pandemic-related deaths are associated with NCDs and mental health, and a staggering 86% of premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
At the United Nations General Assembly, world leaders adopted the strongest political declaration yet on NCDs and mental health. The declaration sets a new vision anchored in ambitious fast-track targets for 2030: 150 million fewer tobacco users, 150 million more people with controlled hypertension, and 150 million more with access to mental health care.
There have been many success stories: WHO recognized 4 countries – Austria, Norway, Oman, and Singapore for their efforts to eliminate industrial trans fats from food supplies. Nearly 60 countries now have best-practice policies for trans fats, covering half the world’s population.
More than 1 billion people worldwide are living with obesity, a chronic, relapsing disease that drives NCDs and worsens outcomes for infectious diseases. To address this major health challenge, WHO released its first recommendations on the use of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies for treating obesity and weight loss.