Is India becoming the world's capital for poor health?

timesofindia.indiatimes.com - According to the World Health Organisation, chronic diseases in India account for 53% of all deaths, which is estimated to increase by a sharp 8 million by 2020.

An interesting fact is that these numbers not only highlight the rural population, but also the city-based - a population that doesn't suffer from malnutrition and other poverty driven health issues. Today, we take a look at the top five diseases that are effectively making India the world's capital for poor health.

Cardiovascular diseases. Two of the most common types of cardiovascular diseases in India are coronary heart diseases (leading to heart attack) and cerebrovascular diseases (leading to stroke).

According to an estimate by WHO, by 2020 deaths from cardiovascular diseases will estimate for around 5 million. The major causes of heart disease in India are tobacco use, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet.

It is also believed that 80% of premature heart disease, stroke and diabetes can be prevented by following lifestyle modifications such as eating healthy and exercising regularly.

Respiratory diseases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that around 1.34 million premature deaths from respiratory diseases and cancers were caused due to polluted air. Lack of clean air is the main reason why respiratory problems are prevalent in India.

It is believed that the rise in SUVs (sports utility vehicles), cars and two-wheelers in Indian cities is the main reason behind respiratory disorders. Other than this, small scale manufacturers and other industries, burning biomass and coal for cooking and heating, are the reasons why respiratory disorders are on a rise.

Diabetes. By now it is a matter of common knowledge that India has the world's highest number of diabetic cases, classifying India as the diabetes capital of the world (as mentioned in the International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries). The foundation estimated that, "the number of diabetic patients in India more than doubled from 19 million in 1995 to 40.9 million in 2007 and is projected to increase to 69.9 million by 2025".

At present, 11 percent of India's urban population and 3 percent of India's rural population, above the age of 15, have diabetes. The reason behind such a rise in diabetic cases can be attributed to lack of physical activity, stress, sedentary lifestyle and a diet rich in sugar, fats and calories.

The study also states that, "the most prevalent is the Type 2 diabetes, which constitutes 95 per cent of the diabetic population in the country." Type 2 diabetes is caused by lifestyle, as opposed to any genetic predisposition.

Hypertension. Hypertension is present in 25% of urban Indians and 10% of rural Indians. Among cities in India, Mumbai has the highest rates of hypertension - 44% of men and 45% of women silently suffering from high BP as compared to 30% and 33% for men and women from Delhi and 24% and 17% among men and women in Kolkata.

The count of "hypertensive" individuals is expected to rise from 118 million in 2000 to 214 million in 2025. According to the highlights of India's largest clinic-based survey, Screening India's Twin Epidemic (SITE), to assess the prevalence of hypertension, 60%, or three out of every five Indians, have either diabetes or hypertension or both.

People not monitoring their sugar or blood pressure regularly is the main reason why hypertension is such a deadly disease in India. For more information on hypertension, read here.

Oral cancer. In India, over 700,000 to one million Indians die due to consumption of tobacco, every year, mostly due to mouth cancer (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India). India has the highest number of oral cancer cases in the world out of which 90 per cent are due to tobacco consumption (World Health Organization Survey Report).

When it comes to oral health problems, tobacco use becomes a primary cause. The increase in the use of tobacco in various forms like lime, raw with betel leaf, betel nut, pan masala, gutka and smoking has led to a rise in the cancer cases. Smokers or smokeless tobacco users are also at a much higher risk of developing cancers of the lips, mouth, cheeks, tongue and throat as well as problems relating to periodontal, or gum, diseases. For more information on oral cancer, read here.