The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that diseases linked to poor lifestyle choices – such as diabetes and some cancers – are preventable and avoidable. With an estimated 16 million people worldwide dying prematurely as a direct result of diseases associated with poor lifestyle choices, the WHO submits that noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are preventable: of the 38 million lives lost to NCDs in 2012, 16 million or 42% were premature and avoidable – up from 14.6 million in 2000. In its “Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2014,” the WHO submits that unhealthy habits like smoking, alcohol abuse and consuming too much fat, salt and sugar have sparked an epidemic of diseases which together constitute the leading cause of death globally. WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan observes that: “The global community has the chance to change the course of the NCD epidemic. By investing just US$ 1-3 dollars per person per year, countries can dramatically reduce illness and death from NCDs.”
