The Global Challenges of Noncommunicable Diseases

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for two-thirds of the world's deaths, one-fourth of which occur before the age of 60. Nearly 80% of NCD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where they are also increasing most rapidly. With these global needs and disparities in mind, PLOS Medicine launched a collection of research and commentary on NCDs directed toward improving population health and reducing health disparities. 

Image Credit: Satish Krishnamurthy, Flickr; Daniel Oines, Flickr; Biswarup Ganguly, Wikimedia Commons; Bernard Goldbach, Flickr