A man smokes a cigarette as he rests against a poster advertising a cure for cancer in southern China's Guangdong province. Lung cancer has become one of the top causes of death in China.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged China to step up efforts to fight the country's top killer -- chronic diseases -- warning millions of lives will be lost if rapid action is not taken.

The World Health Organization has urged China to step up efforts to fight the country's top killer -- chronic diseases -- warning millions of lives will be lost if rapid action is not taken. More than one in five of the 35 million global deaths due to chronic diseases in 2005 were from China, WHO officials told a meeting on Tuesday.

Without action, over 80 million people in China will die from chronic diseases in the next decade," said Catherine Le Gales-Camus, assistant director-general of non-communicable diseases and mental health for the WHO. "This situation requires a rapid response that must also be forward looking," Le Gales-Camus told a meeting organized by the WHO and China's health ministry to promote awareness of chronic illnesses.

Chronic non-communicable diseases, such as lung cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and asthma, account for about 80 percent of all deaths in China. Most of the diseases are preventable, but China must take action, WHO officials told health officials nationwide at the meeting.

"A very, very key point to start with is tobacco control," said Robert Beaglehole, director of the WHO's department of chronic diseases and health promotion, referring to a leading cause of the diseases.

China was aware of many measures it could adopt to discourage smoking, including increasing taxes on tobacco, banning smoking in public places and protecting children from passive smoking.

"Now the challenge is to implement them," Beaglehole said. While China has banned smoking on public transport, smoking is allowed in many public places including restaurants. Public awareness remains low, with smoking widespread particuarly among Chinese men.

The tobacco industry contributes up to 10 percent of tax revenue, but Beaglehole said that should not be a reason for inaction. "The cost of tobacco use to countries and families is far greater than that 10 percent," he said.

The WHO also warned that obesity is becoming a growing problem. More than 20 percent of urban children aged seven to 17 are either overweight or obese, according to the WHO.

"These risk factors will cause an unacceptable number of people to die prematurely... and tragically, so many who have recently escaped poverty will be plunged back, due to the burden of health care costs," a WHO statement said.

In addition, China will forego 558 billion dollars in national income in the next decade from chronic diseases, WHO said. The WHO said it was important to understand the priorities that needed to be placed on chronic diseases while diseases such as bird flu, which has killed around a dozen people in China, gets far more attention.

"In countries like China, much attention is focused now on infectious diseases, but as we see the main problem is chronic diseases," Beaglehole said.

While Chinese Vice Health Minister Wang Longde pledged to step up efforts, Beaglehole said "serious support" was needed from all levels of government and society to encourage people to live healthier lifestyles. — AFP