The rising burden of non-communicable diseases in children and adolescents in Asia

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are widely regarded as conditions of adulthood; however, emerging evidence indicates that their origins and impacts begin much earlier in life. The Asia region, undergoing rapid demographic and epidemiological transition, is experiencing a growing burden of NCDs among children and adolescents, particularly in terms of disability. Drawing on recent findings from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021, this commentary highlights the shifting epidemiology of NCDs in Asia, with declining mortality but persistently high and rising years lived with disability (YLDs) among individuals aged 0–19 years. Mental and neurological disorders have emerged as the dominant contributors to disability, while substantial inequities persist across countries, sex, and socio-demographic contexts. Current NCD strategies in Asia remain largely adult-centric and insufficiently aligned with a life-course perspective. Health systems continue to prioritize mortality reduction and acute care, leaving major gaps in early prevention, adolescent health services, and mental health care.