The World Health Organization predicts that the proportion will reach 70% in the next ten years, with most of the deaths occurring in developing countries. Some 28 million people die from chronic diseases in low- and middle-income countries each year, accounting for roughly three-quarters of all deaths caused by chronic disease globally.
年长者更容易罹患慢性病，而如今慢性病导致了63%的全球死亡总人数。世界卫生组织预测，未来十年这一比例将达到70%，其中大部分死亡发生在发展中国家。在中低收入国家，每年大约有2,800万人死于慢性病，占全球慢性病致死总人数的四分之三左右。