#theme:ag

Susceptibility to Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) increases with age. As populations age, NCDs cause a growing proportion of all deaths. Rapid reductions in fertility combined with improvements in survival lead to population ageing, wherein an increasing proportion of the population is concentrated among older age groups. This paper notes that differences in population age structure mask the disproportionately high risks of NCD mortality experienced in the developing regions. It also argues that future population growth and population ageing will drive large increases in the burden of mortality due to NCDs.