Of the estimated 57 million global deaths in 2008, 36
million (63%) were due to noncommunicable diseases
(NCDs).11,12 Population growth and increased longevity
are leading to a rapid increase in the total number
of middle-aged and older adults, with a corresponding
increase in the number of deaths caused by NCDs. It
is projected that the annual number of deaths due to
cardiovascular disease will increase from 17 million in
2008 to 25 million in 2030, with annual cancer deaths
increasing from 7.6 million to 13 million. As a result of such trends, the total number of annual NCD deaths is
projected to reach 55 million by 2030 – whereas annual
infectious disease deaths are projected to decline over
the next 20 years.