ABSTRACT
Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs or ‘chronic diseases’) include cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases. Cumulatively, these diseases threaten the health and economies of individuals, families, communities and, in fact, entire populations. Chronic diseases account for 60 per cent of all deaths worldwide and 80 per cent of these occur in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) [1-3]. In Asia, major demographic, economic, socio-cultural and nutrition transitions over the past four decades have been associated with a meteoric rise in chronic disease burdens and projections suggest that Asia will continue to be the epicentre of cardio-metabolic burdens in the decades to come.
