Heart disease, cancer and diabetes
Noncommunicable diseases killed at least 43 million people in 2021 — three in four non-pandemic deaths — many of them before age 70.
How this affects people
Heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes are the world's leading killers, increasingly in low- and middle-income countries.
They are driven largely by tobacco, unhealthy diets, alcohol, physical inactivity and air pollution — many of them shaped by commercial and environmental conditions.
Look at what keeps the problem going
- 01Tobacco use
- 02Ultra-processed, high-sugar diets
- 03Physical inactivity
- 04Harmful alcohol use
- 05Air pollution
What could happen next
The future leaves room for choices. Compare the outlooks, check what supports them and notice where the evidence becomes less certain
NCDs remain the top killers
No short-term change in the leading causes of death.
The future is not a timetable. These summaries reflect published scenarios and trends, with deeper uncertainty at longer horizons. Choices made now matter.
Where could a useful response begin?
Begin with a question you can investigate. Compare the sources and follow related briefings to see how the problem connects to other lives and places. This prototype does not accept proposals yet.
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