Sustainability in medicine: a case for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases

Chronic non-communicable diseases have increased worldwide, threatening not only the health of individuals but also social stability. Global studies have identified behavioral, environmental, and stress-related factors that account for a substantial amount of variance in these diseases. Identification of these relatively easy modifiable lifestyle factors holds great potential for the development of global prevention strategies in order to improve health and thereby promote economic, ecologic, and social sustainability worldwide.