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Startling Facts About NCDs Every Health Educator Should Know

Noncommunicable diseases are a serious issue for world health.

Of the 55 million worldwide deaths in 2019, 41 million were due to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).1 That makes NCDs more deadly than accidents, infectious diseases, and violence, including war, combined. If you want a successful career as a health educator—or want to work in any field dealing with world health and global health education programs—you need to understand the seriousness of the NCD problem. Here are a few facts to keep in mind.

The Deadliest NCDs

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the deadliest NCDs include:2

Startling Facts About NCDs Every Health Educator Should Know

Cardiovascular diseases – 17.9 million people annually
Cancers – 9.3 million deaths annually
Respiratory diseases – 4.1 million deaths annually
Diabetes – 1.5 million deaths annually

Nations With the Largest NCD Problem

In general, poorer nations suffer from higher rates of NCD deaths than do richer nations. In addition, a greater number of the NCD deaths in poorer nations are considered premature deaths (before the age of 70). In 2019, 47% of NCD deaths in low- and middle-income countries occurred before the age of 70.1

NCD Risk Factors

Many NCDs are caused or worsened by lifestyle choices. Any choice that raises blood pressure, leads to obesity, raises blood glucose, and/or raises cholesterol can increase a person’s risk for a wide number of NCDs.2 Thus, health educators can help lower incidents of NCDs by teaching people about risk factors and how to live a healthier lifestyle. The top behavioral risk factors include:

  • Alcohol abuse: According to WHO, “Worldwide, 3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is a causal factor in more than 200 diseases, injuries, and other health conditions.”3
  • Physical inactivity: Globally in 2016, 28% of adults age 18+ did not get enough physical activity.4 In the U.S., 25.3% of adults are physically inactive.5 Inactivity can lead to obesity and exacerbate all NCD risk factors.
  • Tobacco use: Over 8 million people die annually from tobacco use. An additional 1.2 million deaths are attributed to second-hand smoke exposure.6
  • Unhealthy diet: Too few fruits and vegetables, too much salt, and too many saturated fats and trans-fatty acids in a person’s diet can lead to a myriad of NCDs.

How You Can Help Curb NCDs

If you want to help people gain the knowledge and awareness they need to make lifestyle choices that lower the risk of developing an NCD, you should consider earning an MS in Health Education and Promotion. What is health education and promotion? It’s a field that brings together the principles of education with the goals of public health and prevention. A career in health education and promotion can provide you with the skills to plan, implement, assess, and evaluate health education and prevention programs.

If you’re concerned you don’t have time to earn a master’s degree, online education can offer a solution. With a master’s in health education and promotion online program, you don’t have to live near a campus or even drive to an off-site location. Instead, you can earn your degree right from home. Plus, an online master’s in health education and promotion program offers you the flexibility to complete coursework at whatever time of day works best for you, giving you the opportunity to continue working full time while you earn your degree.

While NCDs are a significant problem all over the world, many NCD deaths are preventable. Thanks to the convenience of online learning, you can earn the degree you need to help lower NCD deaths.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering an MS in Health Education and Promotion degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.


1Source: www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/noncommunicable-diseases
2Source: www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases
3Source: www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol
4Source: www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
5Source: www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/data/inactivity-prevalence-maps/index.html
6Source: www.who.int/health-topics/tobacco

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

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