Urbanisation among reasons for rise in diseases like cancer

Urbanisation, air pollution and change in lifestyle are among the reasons for rise in incidence of non-communicable diseases including cancer and diabetes, the government said in Lok Sabha on Friday. Health Minister J P Nadda said cardiovascular, respiratoral and diarrhoeal diseases as well as cancer were the major causes of death during 2010-2013 period.

"Non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases etc. are on the rise," he said during Question Hour.

This is due to many factors like "urbanisation, change in lifestyle, tobacco use, obesity, inappropriate diet, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, high blood pressure and air pollution," the Minister said.

Between 2004-06 to 2010-13, Nadda said the share of cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive diseases in the top ten major cause groups have increased while the estimated mortality of cancer cases have also shown an increase.

When a Congress member raised concerns that patients are not properly treated at some government hospitals, Nadda said the Centre provides financial and technical support at the grass root level while the implementation of programmes lies with the state government concerned.