HONG KONG, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- "It was estimated that chronic diseases accounted for 60 percent of all deaths worldwide in 2005,and are projected to increase by 17 percent over the next 10 years," said an official with he World Health Organization (WHO) here Thursday.

    Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) were a global problem that required comprehensive and urgent responses, said Linda Milan, director of Building Healthy Communities and Populations, Western Pacific Regional Office of WHO, at a WHO expert meeting.

    "The most important fact about the leading chronic NCDs ( cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases) is that they share common risk factors," she said, noting that smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and unsafe sexual practices are key factors.

    It has been shown that addressing these underlying behavioral risk factors would prevent 80 percent of premature heart disease, 80 percent of premature stroke, 80 percent of type 2 diabetes and 40 percent of cancer, Milan said.

    "As many countries do not have comprehensive and integrated or individual strategies, policies or action plans to tackle the problem, more WHO technical support on these areas is essential in helping them to prevent and control chronic non-communicable diseases," she said.

    The draft framework that the experts reviewed at the meeting would provide a 'know-how' guide to assist countries or organizations in developing their own relevant policy, plan and program, she said.

    The meeting, entitled "The Second WHO Expert Consultation Meeting on Preventing Chronic Diseases: A Framework for Country Action", was hosted by the Department of Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

    It was the follow-up of the first meeting held in Geneva early this year during which a work plan on chronic NCDs prevention framework was outlined.