National Strategy for Control and Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases in Kingdom of Bahrain 2014 – 2025.

This National Strategy for Control and Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases is a 10'year national sectoral document aiming at reducing the burden of morbidity, mortality, and disability due to Non-communicable diseases through an effective multi-sectoral collaboration to reach (i) the highest attainable standards of health and productivity in all age group categories; (ii) well being, social, economic, and quality of life development. This is to achieve the Vision of a community free from the burden of avoidable non-communicable diseases. The main long-term objective of the Strategy is a 25% relative reduction in the risk of premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory diseases among adults during the next 15 years. The Strategy set out the following Strategic Goals (i) primary and secondary prevention of non-communicable diseases; (ii) quality improvement of health services provided to NCD patients and its complications; (iii) research and surveys in the field of NCD; (iv) empowerment of NCD patients and their families to take part in the services provided and their quality control; (v) community participation for control of non-communicable diseases; (vi) strengthening of the means of surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation of non-communicable diseases. The main interventions regarding more healthy diet regard (i) halting the rise in obesity; (ii) halting the rise in diabetes; (iii) a 10% relative reduction in the prevalence of insufficient physical activity; (iv) a 30% relative reduction in the prevalence of current tobacco use among adolescents; (v) a 25% relative reduction in the prevalence of raised blood pressure; (vi) a 30% relative reduction in mean population intake of salt/sodium; (vii) reduce the rate of fat intake; (viii) Raise the rate of consumption of vegetable servings per capita.