Cardiovascular disease

Examples include cardiovascular disease, many forms of cancer and some diseases of the lungs and liver. Diseases influenced by nutrition, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and deficiency diseases, are also non-communicable.

Factors can include lifestyle, inherited characteristics and exposures in the environment. They may interact: for example, smoking, a poor diet and little exercise can each contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease. A person with several risk factors may have a greater chance of developing it, but may never do so; someone without an obvious risk factor can still become ill.

Cardiovascular disease affects the heart or blood vessels. One example is coronary heart disease (CHD): fatty deposits narrow the coronary arteries, which supply the heart muscle with oxygen and glucose. Reduced blood flow can cause chest pain, and a blockage can lead to a heart attack.