Deaths from non-communicable diseases are highest in Afghanistan, lowest in Sweden

Men and women in the world’s poorest countries are around three times more likely to die under the age of 60 from non-communicable diseases than those in rich countries, says a report from the World Health Organization.

The report “really dispels the myth that non-communicable diseases are just a problem of high-income countries and not of concern for low-income countries,” said Leanne Riley, team leader for surveillance at WHO’s department of chronic diseases and health promotion.

The report says more than 36 million people died from non-communicable diseases in 2008, mainly cardiovascular diseases (48%), cancers (21%), chronic respiratory diseases (12%), and diabetes (3%).

More than nine million of these deaths occurred before the …