The benefits of addressing non‑communicable diseases in the EU

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are reshaping societies in the EU. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung conditions now affect millions more people than a generation ago, and the trend is still moving in the wrong direction. Today, more people are living longer lives, but often with multiple long-term illnesses. This policy brief shows why this matters for the EU beyond the health sector. NCDs cut lives short, affect quality of people’s life, and reduce their ability to work. This raises health expenditure and reduces workers’ productivity and economic output. Yet many of these impacts are avoidable, through action on health risk factors, early diagnosis of disease and improved treatment. The analyses in this report show that preventing illness delivers far greater social and economic benefits than treating it later. Countries in the EU that succeed in reducing key health risks such as obesity and tobacco use can save lives, ease pressure on health budgets and unlock substantial economic gains.