Non-Communicable Disease: A Welcome and Long Needed Addition to the WHO’s 2012 World Heath Statistics

The World Health Organization’s annual report World Health Statistics 2012 was recently published. In addition to annually published indicators of health, this year’s report contains a highlighted new section on non-communicable diseases and their impact on world health. The section gives particular attention to hypertension and obesity. Interestingly, despite worldwide increases in obesity and metabolic syndrome, hypertension rates have actually improved in wealthy nations since 1980, while rates have greatly increased in developing regions and particularly in Africa. Potential contributors to these disparities likely include access to screening and treatment, and the rise of high sodium and low potassium processed foods in poorer nations. It will be imperative in years to come to identify and employ the success seen in wealthy nations worldwide to improve outcomes and productivity in the developing world.