For you and your community
Health is shaped by everyday life
Many cardiovascular diseases, cancers and other long-term diseases are linked to everyday risk factors such as alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, nutrition and physical activity. Prevention is not about being perfect. Small, realistic steps can make a difference, especially when people have clear information, practical support and healthier surroundings.
What prevention means in daily life
Health is influenced by the choices people make, but choices are also shaped by the conditions around them.
It is easier to eat well when healthier food is affordable and available. It is easier to move more when streets, parks, schools and workplaces support activity. It is easier to avoid tobacco, nicotine and alcohol harm when people are protected from marketing, exposure and pressure.
This means prevention is not only about individual responsibility. It is also about creating surroundings where healthier choices are easier, fairer and more realistic.
Four areas where prevention can make a difference
Alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, nutrition and physical activity all affect long-term health. Each area is different, but they are all shaped by the people, places and messages around us.
Alcohol
Drinking less can support health and wellbeing. Less alcohol means lower risk, especially for cancer and other long-term diseases.
Tobacco & Nicotine
Avoiding tobacco and nicotine is one of the most important ways to protect long-term health. For people who already smoke, vape or use nicotine products, support can help.
What can you do?
Everyone’s situation is different. Not every action is possible for everyone, and prevention should never be about blame. But small, realistic steps can support health over time.
You can:
- Choose alcohol-free days or alcohol-free options
- Seek support if tobacco or nicotine is difficult to stop
- Make your home and car smoke-free and nicotine-free
- Drink water more often instead of sugary drinks
- Add vegetables, fruit or whole grains when possible
- Move in ways that fit your life
- Break up long periods of sitting when you can
- Support friends or family members who want to make a change
- Look for reliable health information from trusted sources
- Start with one change that feels realistic
The goal is not perfection. The goal is progress that can last.
Healthy choices are easier when places support them
People should not have to make healthy choices alone. Families, schools, workplaces, communities, municipalities and governments all shape the conditions that affect health.
When healthier options are visible, affordable, accessible and normal, they become easier to choose.
Supportive surroundings can include:
Smoke-free public spaces
Alcohol-free options
Affordable nutritious food
Drinking water access
Safe walking and cycling routes
Parks and green spaces
Clear health information
Support services
Inclusive community activities
Prevention should support people, not blame them
Not everyone has the same opportunities to live a healthy life. Income, education, housing, work, transport, disability, age, gender, local services and social support can all affect health.
This means prevention should not blame people for the conditions around them. Some people face greater barriers and may need more support.
A fair approach gives people reliable information, practical help and surroundings that make healthier choices easier, more affordable and more accessible.
Small steps are easier with support
Prevention can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other long-term diseases, but it should not feel like something people have to manage alone.
Drinking less, avoiding or quitting tobacco and nicotine, eating healthier food and moving more can all support health. These steps become easier when families, communities, services and public spaces support them.
The goal is simple: make healthier choices easier, fairer and more accessible for everyone.
Explore the prevention areas
