The Role of Healthy Lifestyle Promotion, Counseling, and Follow-up in Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention

Several countries worldwide recently have experienced considerable transition in demography and disease epidemiology, characterized by falling rates of preventable communicable diseases and increased life expectancy. However, various factors, including the economy, education, food security, and access to proper healthcare and immunization programs, have led to unhealthy behaviors, inappropriate diets, and lack of physical activity, which have favored the development of noncommunicable diseases (NCD). The purpose of this commentary is to further raise the attention of healthcare professionals worldwide, and pediatricians in particular, about the importance of healthy lifestyle promotion, counseling, and follow-up in the prevention of NCDs during developmental years. Primary prevention offers the potential to reduce the continuous expansion of the social and economic burden related to NCDs, particularly within communities characterized by the presence of social and economic disparities.