Rising Trend of Non-Communicable Diseases in India’s Youth: Causes, Impact, and Measures

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are rising at an alarming rate worldwide, and they are also a significant reason for public health concerns in India. In recent times, India’s youth have been more affected by these diseases. These NCDs demand high and expensive healthcare facilities. Let us read further and take a deeper look at the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases in India’s youth.

Non-communicable diseases are a group of diseases that affect people over an extended time and can be silent threats to their lives. Some of the major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, and diabetes. These diseases are medical conditions that are not caused by infectious agents, but primarily by a combination of genetic, behavioral, physiological, and environmental factors.

Some important risk factors for Non-communicable diseases include an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and excessive use of alcohol and tobacco. Apart from these, some other contributing factors to the rise of these diseases also include aging, rapid unplanned urbanization, and globalization.

India is experiencing a growing burden of non-communicable diseases in youth mass. Typically, in several developed countries, these non-communicable diseases are mainly present in older adults, those above fifty-five years old. However, the onset of these diseases occurs in India, a decade earlier, i.e., in younger adults below forty-five years old. ^{(1, 2)}

In India, non-communicable diseases accounted for 35% of all outpatient visits and 40% of all hospital stays in 2004. ⁽³⁾

In 2008, non-communicable diseases accounted for 5.2 million deaths in India. ⁽⁴⁾ This growing trend in the burden of non-communicable diseases has even surpassed the burden of communicable diseases, such as water-borne or vector-borne diseases, HIV, tuberculosis, and so on.

According to a study report, “India: Health of the Nation’s States”- The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative in 2017 by the ICMR, it is estimated that the proportion of deaths caused by non-communicable diseases in India increased from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8 in 2016. ⁽⁵⁾

Indian population, specifically the youth mass, is passing through a nutritional transition and is expected to experience a higher prevalence of adult non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and chronic lung diseases in recent future. ⁽⁶⁾

90% of adult smokers start smoking before 18 years and these exposed young individuals have two to three times more chances of being attacked by several lower respiratory conditions, including asthma. ⁽⁷⁾ Apart from this, a report has also said that among 10-20-year-old young people, 2.2 % of men and 0.3% of women were opium users. ⁽⁸⁾

In India, a survey conducted by an NGO has revealed that 63.6% of patients coming for treatments were introduced to drugs at an extremely young age, i.e., below fifteen years. Another report says that 13.1% of the individuals involved in drug and substance abuse in the country are below 20 years old. ⁽⁹⁾

Demographic changes, increased rates of urbanization, and lifestyle changes are the major causes of the rising burden of non-communicable diseases in India. Unhealthy diet choices, use of excessive alcohol and tobacco, and lack of physical activity are the leading behavioral risk factors for the four major non-communicable diseases including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Apart from behavioral risk factors, there are environmental risk factors for the growing occurrence of non-communicable diseases, and air pollution is a leading risk factor.

Although mortality from NCD occurs mainly in adulthood, exposure to risk factors starts in early life. Thus, the young masses should be made aware of these non-communicable diseases and their risk factors.

In response to the “Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013-2020” proposed by the WHO, India was the first country to adopt the National Action Plan with certain national targets and indicators that intended to reduce the number of global premature death from non-communicable diseases by 25% by 2025. In the global action plan, nine targets are being suggested for countries. However, India has taken the step forward of setting a tent target for addressing household air pollution. The country’s National Monitory Framework for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases has committed to reducing household use of solid fuel by 50% and 330% relative reduction in the prevalence of current tobacco use by 2025. ⁽¹⁰⁾

In a unique monitoring campaign named, “Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down”, HRIDAY- promoting sustainable health, along with the University of California, has engaged school and college-going youths from Delhi to monitor the depiction in the use of tobacco and the imaginery of tobacco in the newly released Bollywood movies.

Despite the increasing concern about the burden of non-communicable diseases in India’s youth, India is making significant efforts to control the situation and has adopted various programs to encourage youths to live active and healthy lifestyles. The best thing about these programs is that even youth are actively participating in making them successful. This way we can win over the situation.

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