The World Health Organisation in 2016

The World Health Organisation in 2016, estimated 41 million deaths occurred Worldwide due to non- communicable diseases (NCDs). These NCDs account for 71% of the overall total of 57 million deaths annually with the majority of deaths being caused by the four main NCDs. These are cardiovascular disease (17.9 million deaths; accounting for 44% of all NCD deaths); cancer (9.0 million deaths; 22%); chronic respiratory disease (3.8 million deaths; 9%); and diabetes (1.6 million deaths; 4%).
Poor health significantly affects people’s quality of life and ability to function effectively (AIHW, 2016) and plays a significant role in societal and economic costs, affecting the cost of health care, with presenteeism and absenteeism affecting organisational success.
Evidence supports how lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, stress management and physical activity levels contribute to health (AIHW, 2016). Research also supports how the working environment contributes to our overall health (WHO, 2018). Therefore, organisations have become a suitable setting for Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) with health professionals working to ensure safe, stimulating, satisfying and enjoyable environments for workers (Jørgensen et al., 2017).