Non-communicable disease
An illness that is not caused by a pathogen and cannot be passed on, such as heart disease or most cancers.
Last updated
Analogy
A bad habit building up over time, not a bug going round.
In practice
Smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise raise the risk of several of these diseases.
Practice
Flashcards
- Is diabetes communicable?No. It cannot be passed from person to person.
Questions people ask
What lifestyle factors raise the risk of non-communicable disease?
Smoking raises the risk of lung disease, heart disease and cancer. Too much alcohol harms the liver. A diet high in fat and sugar and little exercise raises the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Several factors often combine and also interact with genes.
What is cancer?
Cancer is uncontrolled cell division. Changes in a cell's DNA cause it to divide without stopping, forming a lump called a tumour. A benign tumour stays in one place. A malignant tumour invades other tissues and can spread, forming secondary tumours. Risk factors include smoking, UV light and some genes.