Commentary: Shifting burden of disease—epidemiological transition in India

Non-communicable diseases are rapidly increasing in many developing countries, largely due to demographic and lifestyle changes. It is estimated that nearly half the disease burden in low- and middle-income countries is from non-communicable diseases, and more than 21 % of deaths in such countries are due to cardiovascular diseases. 1 Cancer is not yet among the top ten leading causes of death in developing countries, 1 but the incidence of cancer in such countries is increasing. In the year 2000, 80 % of new cases of cervical cancer occurred in the developing world 2