Prevention works
For policymakers and government officials
Non-communicable diseases, often called NCDs, are long-term diseases that are not passed from person to person. They include cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. Many are linked to shared risk factors such as alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity. These risks are shaped not only by individual choices, but also by the places where people live, learn, work and spend time. Policy can help make healthier choices easier, fairer and more accessible.
Prevention happens in the conditions around people
Prevention is not only about asking people to make healthier choices. It is also about shaping the conditions that make healthier choices easier, fairer and more accessible.
For policymakers and government officials, this means looking at the environments, systems and policies that influence people’s health every day, from schools, workplaces and public spaces to transport, food systems, marketing, health services and regulation.
Strong prevention policy can reduce exposure to harmful products, support healthier environments and help prevent cancer and other long-term diseases before they develop.
Why policy matters in prevention
People make choices within the conditions around them. When healthier options are accessible, affordable and normal, prevention becomes easier. When unhealthy products are heavily promoted, widely available or cheaper than healthier alternatives, prevention becomes harder.
This is why policy action is central to preventing cancer and other non-communicable diseases.
Those conditions are shaped by decisions on:
Availability, pricing & access
Marketing & advertising
Schools & workplaces
Public institutions
Health & Social Services
Food systems & procurement
Transport & urban planning
Local services & community
Regulation & enforcement
Key Risk Factors
A large share of cancer and other long-term diseases is linked to preventable risk factors. Four of the most important are part of everyday life: alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, nutrition, and physical activity.
Alcohol
Alcohol is linked to more than 200 diseases and health conditions, including several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and injuries. In the WHO European Region, about 800,000 deaths every year are linked to alcohol use, equal to around 1 in every 11 deaths.
Reducing alcohol-related harm is not only about individual decisions. It is also about availability, pricing, marketing and the environments where alcohol is promoted, sold and consumed.
Tobacco & Nicotine
Tobacco and nicotine prevention requires strong and sustained action. This includes smoke-free and nicotine-free environments, taxation, restrictions on marketing and promotion, plain packaging, support for quitting, and measures that protect children and young people from nicotine addiction.
Nutrition
What we eat has a major impact on health. Unhealthy diets can contribute to high blood pressure, raised blood sugar, unhealthy blood fats and obesity, all of which increase the risk of serious long-term diseases.
Healthy eating should not depend only on individual effort. Food environments matter. Schools, workplaces, public institutions, shops, prices, marketing and local communities all influence what is easy, affordable and normal to eat.
Physical Activity
Physical activity is influenced by how communities are designed. Policy can support active daily life through urban planning, transport systems, safe walking and cycling routes, access to green spaces, school environments, workplace policies and community facilities.
Making movement easier in everyday life can support physical health, mental wellbeing, social connection and healthier, more liveable communities.
Addressing health inequalities
Not everyone has the same opportunity to live a healthy life. Income, education, housing, work, transport, local services, disability, age, gender and social exclusion can all affect people’s exposure to risk and their ability to benefit from prevention.
This means prevention policies should be designed with equity in mind. Universal action is important, but some groups may need additional support to overcome greater barriers.
A strong prevention approach asks:
- Who benefits from this policy?
- Who may be left behind?
- What needs to change so healthier choices are realistic for everyone?
How products and marketing shape health
Many health choices are shaped by commercial environments. Products are designed, priced, marketed, placed and promoted in ways that influence behaviour. This is especially important when it comes to alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, unhealthy food and drink, and products or environments that discourage active living.
Policymakers have an important role in protecting public health in decision-making. This includes transparency, managing conflicts of interest, protecting children and young people from harmful marketing, and making sure health and wellbeing are considered across sectors.
How policymakers and public institutions can prevent cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other NCDs
Policy & Systems
- Healthier public policies across sectors
- Investing in prevention as a long-term social and economic priority
Environments & Behaviour
- Make healthy choices easier and more accessible
- Protect children and young people from harmful marketing
Evidence & Equity
- Use evidence-based prevention measures, including recognised best buys
- Consider health equity in all prevention policies
Services & Support
- Strengthen public services and community support
Where can policymakers start?
Not every action needs to begin with major reform. Public institutions can start by reviewing the environments they influence directly and identifying practical changes that make healthier choices easier, fairer and more accessible.
Examples include:
- Improving food and drink options in schools, workplaces and public buildings
- Creating smoke-free and nicotine-free public spaces
- Supporting walking, cycling and active transport around public facilities
- Reviewing sponsorship, marketing and procurement policies
- Considering health impact in planning and decision-making
- Strengthening access to prevention advice and support services
- Communicating clearly about why healthier environments matter
Small changes in public settings can help show what prevention looks like in practice.
We know many of the actions that work
By acting on alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, nutrition and physical activity, policymakers can help reduce the burden of cancer and other long-term diseases.
Prevention is one of the smartest investments societies can make. It can reduce pressure on health systems, improve quality of life, support healthier ageing and create communities where more people have the opportunity to live well.
Explore the prevention areas
