Figure 1Trends in age-standardized mortality rates (A), crude mortality rates (B), numbers of all-cause deaths by age group (C), and numbers of deaths from four major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by age group in Korea, 1983 to 2011 (D). The age-standardized mortality was calculated with the world standard population as the referent. The four NCDs refer to cancer (International Classification of Diseases 10th revision [ICD-10] code C00-D48), cardiovascular disease (CVD, ICD-10 code I00-I99), diabetes mellitus (DM, ICD-10 code E10-E14), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, ICD-10 code J40-J47). CD, communicable disease (ICD-10 code A00-B99, J09-J22).
Table 1.Major international activities on NCDs since 2000
Calendar year |
International activities |
2000 |
Resolution in the WHA on Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (WHA53.17) |
2003 |
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control |
2004 |
Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health endorsed by the WHA |
2007 |
Resolution WHA60.23 on Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Disease: Implementation of the Global Strategy |
2008 |
WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008 - The MPOWER Package |
Resolution WHA61.14 on 2008-2013 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases |
2009 |
Creation of the Non-communicable Disease Network |
2010 |
UN General Assembly resolution calling for a high-level meeting on NCDs |
Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol |
Establishment of the NCD Alliance |
2011 |
Political Declaration on NCDs by the UN NCD High-level Summit |
WHO Global Status Report on Noncommunicable Diseases 2010 |
WHO Noncommunicable Diseases Country Profiles 2011 |
2012 |
Mortality target - the 25 by 25 goal adopted by the WHA |
Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development |
2013 |
2013-2020 NCD Global Action Plan and the Global Monitoring Framework for NCDs endorsed by the WHA |
Table 2.The 20 most important causes of disability-adjusted life years in Korean men and women: findings of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2010
Rank |
Both genders |
Men |
Women |
1 |
Stroke |
Stroke |
Stroke |
2 |
Low back pain |
Liver cancer |
Low back pain |
3 |
Diabetes |
Low back pain |
Other musculoskeletal |
4 |
Ischemic heart disease |
Self-harm |
Diabetes |
5 |
Self-harm |
Road injury |
Neck pain |
6 |
Liver cancer |
Diabetes |
Ischemic heart disease |
7 |
Other musculoskeletal |
Lung cancer |
Major depressive disorder |
8 |
Road injury |
Ischemic heart disease |
Anxiety disorders |
9 |
Stomach cancer |
Stomach cancer |
Migraine |
10 |
Neck pain |
Cirrhosis |
Self-harm |
11 |
Lung cancer |
Falls |
Stomach cancer |
12 |
Major depressive disorder |
Alcohol use disorders |
Alzheimer’s disease |
13 |
Cirrhosis |
Neck pain |
Falls |
14 |
Falls |
Other musculoskeletal |
Osteoarthritis |
15 |
Anxiety disorders |
COPD |
Road injury |
16 |
Migraine |
Colorectal cancer |
Lung cancer |
17 |
Alcohol use disorders |
Major depressive disorder |
Liver cancer |
18 |
Colorectal cancer |
Drug use disorders |
COPD |
19 |
COPD |
Anxiety disorders |
Colorectal cancer |
20 |
Alzheimer’s disease |
Migraine |
Breast cancer |
Table 3.Risk factor ranking for the burden of disability-adjusted life-years in Korean men and women: findings of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2010
Rank |
Both genders |
Men |
Women |
1 |
Dietary risks |
Alcohol use |
Dietary risks |
2 |
Alcohol use |
Dietary risks |
High blood pressure |
3 |
Smoking |
Smoking |
High fasting plasma glucose |
4 |
High blood pressure |
High blood pressure |
High body mass index |
5 |
High fasting plasma glucose |
High fasting plasma glucose |
Physical inactivity |
6 |
High body mass index |
High body mass index |
Smoking |
7 |
Physical inactivity |
Physical inactivity |
Ambient PM pollution |
8 |
Ambient PM pollution |
Ambient PM pollution |
Alcohol use |
9 |
Occupational risks |
Occupational risks |
Intimate partner violence |
10 |
Drug use |
Drug use |
High total cholesterol |
11 |
High total cholesterol |
High total cholesterol |
Occupational risks |
12 |
Lead |
Lead |
Drug use |
13 |
Intimate partner |
Iron deficiency |
Lead |
14 |
Childhood sexual abuse |
Low bone mineral density |
Childhood sexual abuse |
15 |
Low bone mineral density |
Childhood sexual abuse |
Low bone mineral density |
16 |
Iron deficiency |
Radon |
Iron deficiency |
17 |
Radon |
Zinc deficiency |
Radon |
18 |
Sanitation |
Sanitation |
Sanitation |
19 |
Zinc deficiency |
Ozone |
Zinc deficiency |
20 |
Ozone |
Childhood underweight |
Ozone |
Table 4.National strategies to be developed for noncommunicable disease (NCD) control and prevention in Korea
Policy areas |
Specific policies to be developed |
Accountability mechanisms |
Establishment of national presidential NCD commission |
Establishment of a governmental unit for monitoring and evaluation |
Sustainable funding for NCD prevention and control |
Health promotion fund by regularly and substantially increasing the price of tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food products |
Targets and indicators |
Development of national targets and indicators based on the Global Monitoring Framework |
Governmental policies to be developed |
Aggressive taxation of tobacco and alcohol |
Comprehensive smoke-free policies |
Regulation of sales and marketing of tobacco (including plain packaging) and alcohol products |
Regulation, public education, and media/non-mass media campaigns on dietary salt (targeting disadvantaged population) |
Regulation and taxation to improve access to healthier diets and to restrict unhealthy food and drink |
|
Policies and programs to improve working conditions and early childhood development |
|
Development of policies to address social determinants of NCDs (poverty, working conditions, education, housing, and living environment) |
|
Health and health equity in all governmental policies |
Role of civil society |
Monitoring of industries involved in tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food and drink |
Active involvement in the development of policies to control NCDs |
Role of academic community |
Research on the burden of NCDs and comparative risks |
Research interest in industrial epidemics (tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink) |
Development of population approaches to control NCDs |