BUENOS AIRES, Mar 9, 2011 (IPS) – Some 50 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Latin America have formed a coalition to fight cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, diabetes and cancer, which have become the main causes of death and disability for people in the region.

Representatives of the NGOs, which are mostly made up of health professionals, announced Mar. 4 in Buenos Aires that they had decided to create the Coalición Latinoamérica Saludable (Healthy Latin America Coalition, CLAS).

The main risk factors for these chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) are smoking, a diet with insufficient fruit and vegetables, and a sedentary lifestyle, among other unhealthy behaviours.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), CNCDs cause 60 percent of deaths worldwide and 44 percent of early deaths. Furthermore, 80 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries.

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