Communicating the Noncommunicable Introduction

Since 2008, the World Economic Forum has identified noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as a leading threat to the global economy both in terms of their cost and likelihood of happening. The Global Agenda Council on NCDs, a think tank of leaders in the field, was created by the World Economic Forum to raise awareness on the issue and support action leading up to the United Nations High Level Meeting on NCDs. The current special issue is the outcome of Council discussions as well as individual work of lead authors to highlight the burden of risk factors for NCDs, identify costs and solutions, and call for joint action and coordination across sectors. The special issue comprises two parts: "Risk Factors and Impact," and "Communicating and Acting on Solutions."