Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a global health and developmental emergency, as they cause premature deaths, exacerbate poverty and threaten national economies. In 2008, they were the top killers in the South-East Asia region, causing 7.9 million deaths; the number of deaths is expected to increase by 21% over the next decade.

Moderate alcohol consumption is known to be protective against coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the INTERHEART study, a case–control study of acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients, revealed that alcohol consumption in South Asians was not protective against CHD. We therefore planned to study cardiovascular risk factor and CHD prevalence among male alcohol users as compared to age matched lifetime abstainers.

Kerala State is a harbinger of what will happen in future to the rest of India in chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD). We assessed: (i) the burden of NCD risk factors; (ii) estimated the relations of behavioural risk factors to socio-demographic correlates, anthropometric risk factors

The World Health Organization is launching the first global war against alcohol abuse. Can it replicate the success of the anti-smoking campaign? Some of the ways to curb excessive alcohol consumption are similar to those used against cigarettes, such as increasing taxes and reducing availability. (Editorial)

Humanity's relationship with alcohol has never been easy. Now it is about to undergo as great a change as our attitude to tobacco, which has seen smoking plummet from the height of cool to the lowest of unpleasant habits.