Key learning points

1. Risk factors affect the chance that a person will develop a non-communicable disease.
2. Risk factors can be lifestyle factors, e.g. diet, smoking, environmental, e.g. air pollution, or genetic, e.g. alleles.
3. Experiencing multiple factors can increase the likelihood a person will develop a particular disease.
4. Interpreting data on non-communicable diseases and risk factors at local, national and global levels.
5. The importance of peer review and communicating research on risk factors to a range of audiences.

Keywords

• Non-communicable disease - a disease that cannot be passed from person to person

• Risk factor - something that increases the chance of ill health

• Correlation - a relationship or pattern between two or more variables

• Peer review - a process of subjecting an author's work, research or ideas to the scrutiny of other experts in the same field

Common misconception