A new global study has revealed a major shift in the leading causes of death in India. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke are now rapidly taking over from communicable diseases.
According to the Global Burden of Disease 2023 report, released at the recent World Health Summit in Berlin, two-thirds of deaths worldwide are now caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This report has been published in the prestigious medical journal 'The Lancet'.
In India, infectious diseases were the leading cause of death in 1990. 300.53 deaths per lakh population were due to infectious diseases. This changed in 2023, with ischemic heart disease becoming the leading cause of death. This disease caused 127.82 deaths per lakh population. It was followed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (99.25) and stroke (92.88). In 1990, tuberculosis and heart disease caused about the same number of deaths. Now, however, lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases have overtaken infectious diseases as the leading cause of death.
On the one hand, scientific advances in health have increased life expectancy, but at the same time, the burden of these diseases has also increased.
According to the GBD report, total deaths in India increased from 51.53 lakh in 1990 to 87.1 lakh in 2023. During the same period, the average life expectancy has increased by 13 years. Life expectancy for men increased from 58.46 to 71.62 years, while for women, it increased from 59.8 to 72.96 years.
Former head of the Public Health Foundation, Prof. K. Srinath Reddy, blamed the increased pollution and poor diet that accompanied industrialization. He said that industrialization is causing an increase in NCDs due to pollution, inactivity, and poor diet.
The mental health crisis is growing, with rising deaths among young people being a prime example. According to the findings of GBD 2023, mental health disorders are on the rise. There has been a 63 percent increase in anxiety disorders and a 26 percent increase in depressive disorders. Sexual violence, abuse and social insecurity have been cited as major factors affecting mental health.
There are many health issues facing children in India. The leading causes of death in children under 5 years of age are malnutrition, air pollution, and poor water and sanitation. Infectious diseases and malnutrition were the major causes among children aged 5 to 14. While high blood pressure, obesity, cholesterol, and mental stress were the major risks among adults aged 15 to 49.
The report states that urgent measures are needed to reduce child mortality rates and improve mental health. As a result, experts have made it clear that it is now imperative to pay as much attention to non-communicable and mental health as to infectious diseases.
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