Non-communicable diseases are defined as a set of
chronic diseases of major public health importance,
such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes
mellitus, lung diseases such as asthma and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, the development of
which is influenced by one or more common risk
factors (e.g., smoking, diets rich in energy and fat,
physical inactivity and stress)1. The literary meaning
that diseases which are not communicable
(infectious) are non-communicable diseases is also
true. But, the diseases of major public health
importance, which are considered eminently
preventable and/or controllable, are the diseases
included under the term NCDs.