According to the World Health Report 2002, the major risk factors include:
In individuals, we can classify the risks factors as follows:
In Communities, the main factors that can impact health include:
The following graph depicts the relationship between risk factors, conditions and common disease end-points:
Chronic diseases share common risk factors and conditions. While some risk factors, such as our age, sex, and our genetic make-up, cannot be changed, many behavioural risk factors can be modified, as well as a number of intermediate biological factors including hypertension, being overweight, hyperlipidemia,and glucose intolerance. Societal, economic, and physical conditions influence and shape behaviour and indirectly affect other biological factors. The recognition of these common risk factors and conditions is the conceptual basis for an integrated approach to chronic disease.