The ongoing evolution of HIV epidemic towards being considered a chronic disease is occurring against a background of population transition. Many low and middle income (LMIC) countries are experiencing rapid, unplanned urbanization resulting in a sizable proportion of urban dwellers living in informal settlements.
This environmental change is associated with changing behaviour with decreased physical activity, increased consumption of processed high salt/sugar foods, increased rates of tobacco smoking as well as alcohol/substance abuse.This is resulting in an accompanying rise in non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as diabetes and heart disease; the risk factors of which are obesity and high blood pressure.
