{"id":5560,"date":"2026-01-06T22:16:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T16:46:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=5560"},"modified":"2026-01-07T11:42:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T06:12:43","slug":"non-communicable-diseases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/non-communicable-diseases\/","title":{"rendered":"Non-Communicable Diseases"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs),\u00a0<\/strong>also known as\u00a0<strong>chronic diseases<\/strong>, are not\u00a0<strong>contagious<\/strong>. These illnesses develop slowly and do not show symptoms in their early stages. They require treatment for several years, and some require treatment for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\r\n<p>The main types of non-communicable diseases are\u00a0<strong>diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases<\/strong>\u00a0(such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma).<\/p>\r\n<h2>About Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)<\/h2>\r\n<p>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are caused by a confluence of\u00a0<strong>genetic<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>physiological, environmental, and behavioural factors.<\/strong>\u00a0Currently, non-communicable diseases are a major cause of\u00a0<strong>premature death globally.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>NCDs like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases are the leading causes of\u00a0<strong>mortality\u00a0<\/strong>in the world.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>These four groups of diseases account for\u00a0<strong>over 80% of all premature deaths from NCDs.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>It kills 41 million people every year,<\/strong>\u00a0corresponding to a total of 71% of all deaths worldwide.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Low- and middle-income<\/strong>\u00a0countries bear the brunt, with 86% of the 17 million premature NCD deaths occurring before the age of 70.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Early detection, screening, treatment, and palliative care are vital components in addressing Non-communicable diseases.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases<\/h2>\r\n<p>A risk factor is a\u00a0<strong>condition or behaviour<\/strong>\u00a0that raises the possibility of developing a specific disease, injury, or other health condition. The risk factors can lead to Non-communicable diseases. The more risk factors one has, the greater the chance of getting a particular disease.<\/p>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/risk_factors_for_non_communicable_diseases_d0619e7c31.webp\" alt=\"Risk Factors for Non Communicable Diseases\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<h2>Types of Non-Communicable Diseases<\/h2>\r\n<p>The non\u2013communicable diseases may occur due to\u00a0<strong>genetic and lifestyle factors<\/strong>. When these are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, these diseases are also called lifestyle diseases.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>An arbitrary classification of non\u2013communicable diseases can be:\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Lifestyle disease<\/strong>s, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and cancer.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Mental health diseases<\/strong>\u00a0like depression and trauma.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The four main types of NCDs are\u00a0<strong>cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li>According to the\u00a0<strong>World Health Organisation<\/strong>\u00a0(WHO) cardiovascular\u00a0<strong>diseases\u00a0<\/strong>account for the majority of NCD deaths, or\u00a0<strong>17.9 million people per year<\/strong>, followed by cancers (9.3 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4.1 million), and diabetes (2.0 million including diabetes-related kidney disease deaths).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Hypertension<\/h3>\r\n<p>Hypertension (high blood pressure) occurs when the heart has to work harder than usual to\u00a0<strong>pump blood<\/strong>\u00a0to all body parts. This puts more strain on the heart. When the pressure in blood vessels is\u00a0<strong>too high (140\/90 mmHg or higher),<\/strong>\u00a0it is considered hypertension.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Hypertension is also known as a<strong>\u00a0\"silent killer\"<\/strong>\u00a0because it might exist without causing any warning signs or symptoms.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/hypertension_6507f58660.webp\" alt=\"Hypertension\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Risk factors:\u00a0<\/strong>Advancing age, family history, obesity, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, consumption of tobacco, excessive alcohol and stress, etc.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Symptoms:\u00a0<\/strong>Very high blood pressure can cause headaches, blurred vision, chest pain, dizziness, difficulty breathing, nausea, abnormal heart rhythm etc.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Complications:<\/strong>\u00a0If left uncontrolled, hypertension could cause stroke<strong>, myocardial infarction, cardiac failure, renal failure, and blindness.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Prevalence in India:<\/strong>\u00a0It is estimated that at least one in four adults in India has hypertension, but, only about 12% of them have their blood pressure under control.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Diabetes Mellitus<\/h3>\r\n<p>Diabetes is a<strong>\u00a0chronic disease<\/strong>\u00a0that occurs when the\u00a0<strong>pancreas\u00a0<\/strong>fails to produce enough insulin or when the body is unable to use the\u00a0<strong>insulin\u00a0<\/strong>that is produced. Normally, a blood glucose level taken randomly of over\u00a0<strong>140 mg\/dl\u00a0<\/strong>should lead to a suspicion of diabetes.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Types: There are two types of diabetes<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM):\u00a0<\/strong>The body does not produce insulin at all and requires daily administration of insulin. This may be due to genetics, changes in environmental risk factors, and\/or viral infections. Neither its cause nor the means to prevent it are known.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/type_1_diabetes_dc2e8474a7.webp\" alt=\"Type 1 Diabetes\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM):\u00a0<\/strong>This is the\u00a0<strong>most common<\/strong>\u00a0type of diabetes. The body produces some insulin, but not enough or the cells cannot use this insulin very well.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/type_2_diabetes_d675425e87.webp\" alt=\"Type 2 Diabetes\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Risk factors:<\/strong>\u00a0Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Symptoms:\u00a0<\/strong>Frequent urination, increased hunger, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, lack of energy, extreme tiredness, slow healing of wounds, dry or itchy skin.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Prevention:\u00a0<\/strong>Type 2 diabetes is often\u00a0<strong>preventable\u00a0<\/strong>by lifestyle changes like maintaining a healthy body weight, and avoiding sugar and saturated fat.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Complications:<\/strong>\u00a0It\u2019s a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, and strokes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Cardiovascular Diseases<\/h3>\r\n<p>Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) is a general term for conditions affecting the<strong>\u00a0heart or blood vessels.\u00a0<\/strong>It is associated with damage to arteries in organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys, and eyes. The most common cardiovascular disease includes<strong>\u00a0coronary heart disease like heart attack.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Heart Attack:\u00a0<\/strong>A heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when the heart\u2019s supply of blood is stopped due to the deposition of fat, thus blockage in the blood vessels of the heart. It is defined as severe chest pain for more than 30 minutes, radiating to the left arm, shoulder, or jaw and not relieved by painkillers.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/heart_attack_764fe24766.webp\" alt=\"heart-attack.webp\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Symptoms:\u00a0<\/strong>Chest pain or discomfort, weakness, light-headed, or faint, discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back and one or both arms or shoulders, shortness of breath.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Complications: Arrhythmias\u00a0<\/strong>(heart may develop an abnormal heartbeat following a heart attack due to your damaged heart muscle disrupting electrical signals), heart failure,\u00a0<strong>cardiogenic shock<\/strong>\u00a0(heart suddenly can\u2019t pump enough blood to your body), heart rupture.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Stroke:\u00a0<\/strong>A stroke (<strong>brain attack),\u00a0<\/strong>occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off or when a blood vessel in the\u00a0<strong>brain bursts<\/strong>. If this happens, the brain is deprived of oxygen, and parts of the brain may be permanently damaged.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/stroke_7598d68b3a.webp\" alt=\"Stroke\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Types:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Ischemic stroke happens when blood clots or other particles clog blood vessels in the brain.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Hemorrhagic stroke\u00a0<\/strong>occurs when an artery in the\u00a0<strong>brain leaks or ruptures\u00a0<\/strong>(breaks open). The leaked blood increases the pressure on brain cells, causing them to be damaged.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Medical risk factors<\/strong>\u00a0include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and a personal or family history of stroke or heart attack.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Stroke is the\u00a0<strong>world's second-leading cause of death<\/strong>\u00a0and the third-leading cause of disability. One out of every four people is at risk of having a stroke during their lifetime.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs)<\/h3>\r\n<p>Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) impact the airways and other lung structures. Among them most common are\u00a0<strong>chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, occupational lung diseases, and pulmonary hypertension.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>CRDs are not curable;\u00a0<\/strong>however, different kinds of treatment that help open air passages and alleviate shortness of breath can help control symptoms and improve daily life for people living with these conditions.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Risk factor:<\/strong>\u00a0In addition to tobacco smoke, other risk factors include air pollution, occupational chemicals and dust, and frequent lower respiratory infections during childhood.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Cancer<\/h3>\r\n<p>Cancer is a disease that occurs when\u00a0<strong>cells divide uncontrollably<\/strong>\u00a0in any part of the human body, contrary to the usual regulation by the immune system. This uncontrolled division leads to the\u00a0<strong>formation of lumps or growths<\/strong>, commonly referred to as\u00a0<strong>tumours.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/normal_cells_11fbdfa99a.webp\" alt=\"Normal Cells\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/cancer_cells_e42258c87a.webp\" alt=\"Cancer Cells\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Types of tumours:\u00a0<\/strong>There are two types of tumours benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous).\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Benign tumours<\/strong>\u00a0are normally\u00a0<strong>confined<\/strong>\u00a0to their original site, do not spread to other parts of the body, and cause little damage.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Malignant tumours\u00a0<\/strong>are composed of a mass of\u00a0<strong>proliferating cells<\/strong>\u00a0known as\u00a0<strong>neoplastic\u00a0<\/strong>or tumour cells.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>The three most commonly occurring cancers in India- cervix and breast cancers\u00a0<\/strong>among women and<strong>\u00a0oral cancers\u00a0<\/strong>among women &amp; men.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Cervical cancer originates in cervix cells, the lower part of the uterus connecting to the vagina. It typically progresses slowly.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Around 75,000 women in India die each year of cervical cancer.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The\u00a0<strong>HPV vaccine<\/strong>\u00a0is an effective preventive tool in the fight against cervical cancer.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>To decrease incidences of cervical cancer, India plans to implement an immunisation campaign targeting\u00a0<strong>Human Papillomavirus\u00a0<\/strong>(HPV).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Causes:\u00a0<\/strong>Transformation of normal cells into\u00a0<strong>cancerous neoplastic cells<\/strong>\u00a0may be induced by physical, chemical, or biological agents. These agents are called\u00a0<strong>carcinogens<\/strong>. These changes are the result of a person's genetic factors interacting with three types of external agents:\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Physical carcinogens\u00a0<\/strong>(ultraviolet and ionising radiation)<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Chemical carcinogens\u00a0<\/strong>(asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, and alcohol)<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Biological carcinogens,\u00a0<\/strong>(infections from certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Cancer-causing viruses are called oncogenic viruses.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Risk factors:\u00a0<\/strong>Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, and air pollution.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Prevention:\u00a0<\/strong>Maintaining healthy body weight, avoiding consumption of alcohol, avoiding ultraviolet radiation exposure, etc.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>According to the\u00a0<strong>Indian Council of Medical Research-National Cancer Registry Programme (ICMR-NCRP),\u00a0<\/strong>the new cancer cases in India will rise from nearly one million new cases in 2012 to over 1.5 million by 2035.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>India and Non-Communicable Diseases<\/h2>\r\n<p>Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for\u00a0<strong>66% of all deaths in India,<\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0<strong>22% being premature deaths in 2019<\/strong>. The SDG target of reducing premature deaths from the four major NCDs by one-third from 2015 to 2030 will almost certainly be missed by India, with researchers projecting a 15.6 per cent decline from 2015 to 2030.<\/p>\r\n<p>The Government of India is implementing several programmes to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>National Programme for Prevention &amp; Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (<strong>NP-NCD<\/strong>) (earlier known as NPCDCS).\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Implemented through the National Health Mission and launched in 2010 with a focus on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion, early diagnosis, management, and referral.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Indian Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI):<\/strong>India has set a target of a 25% relative reduction in hypertension prevalence by 2025.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>To accomplish this,\u00a0<strong>India\u00a0<\/strong>has launched the IHCI to accelerate access to treatment services for over 220 million hypertensive people in India.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP):<\/strong>\u00a0Launched in 2007-08, it aims at discouraging the use of tobacco with special emphasis on the protection of children and young people.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Non-communicable diseases also known as chronic diseases, are not contagious. The main types of NCDs are diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke &#038; cancers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":14919,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[239],"tags":[885,40],"class_list":{"0":"post-5560","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-quest-level-4","8":"tag-non-communicable-diseases","9":"tag-quest"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5560"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19992,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5560\/revisions\/19992"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14919"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}