Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are non-infectious conditions that cannot be transmitted from one person to another. They tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors. The main types of NCDs include:
- Cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke)
- Cancers
- Chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma)
- Diabetes
- Alzheimers Disease
- Hypertension
- Osteoporosis
- Arthritis
- Obesity
- Mental health disorders
NCDs disproportionately affect people in low- and middle-income countries, where more than three-quarters of global NCD deaths occur. Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, exposure to tobacco smoke, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution are some of the risk factors that contribute to NCDs. Preventive measures such as reducing the use of tobacco and the harmful use of alcohol, maintaining an active lifestyle, consuming a healthy diet, and improving air quality can help control the risk factors that lead to the development of NCDs.
