The World Health Organisation has designated Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre as its Collaborating Centre for Non Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control. J. Leowski, Regional Advisor - Non Communicable Disease, WHO Regional Office for South East Asia, handed over the official letter to Dr. V. Mohan, chairman and chief diabetologist, MDSC. The centre will help develop educational materials, build capacity for research and also be involved in risk factor surveillance in the area of prevention and control of non communicable diseases. The tactics of modification of diet, physical activity and tobacco use have been largely underutilised, he said. Unless effective public health interventions were taken, morbidity and mortality would continue to rise, costing the social and economic development of the nation. Inaugurating the sixth Madras Diabetes Research Foundation-University of Alabama National Seminar on Prevention of Non Communicable Diseases, Social Welfare Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna said the best chance for a healthy life began at preconception. Planning the pregnancy, taking folic acid tablets, providing appropriate counselling to the mother would ensure that the child had a good start in life. Poor nutrition and smoking resulted in low birth weight babies, which in turn led to neuro-developmental delay, increased the risk of death and of developing diabetes and Iscahemic Heart Disease later in life. The Minister, who is also a gynaecologist, added that with changing lifestyles, obesity was on the rise. Childhood obesity was also on the increase and consumption of highly salted preserved snacks had shown an increase in kidney disease among children. There is alarming evidence from the World Health Report 2005 that NCD accounts for nearly 53 per cent of all deaths in India and it is predicted to increase up to 70 per cent in the next 15 years. It has been estimated that the nation will incur a loss of approximately US $ 237 billion in the next 10 years if emergency measures are not set in place, she said. Dale Williams, associate director, Division of Preventive Medicine, UAB, said India's need to handle NCD was great, considering the large population, cost burden of NCD and limited though evolving research infrastructure. Ritu Rana, consultant on NCD to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said the national programme on diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and stroke had recently been launched in 10 States. Dr.Mohan made a presentation on the activities of MDSC and MDRF.