What are non-communicable diseases?
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are diseases that are not passed from one person to another. They are chronic diseases that result from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.
They are the leading cause of death and ill-health in Scotland.
NCD prevalence rates in Scotland
In 2022, nearly 53,000 deaths were caused by NCDs. This equates to 85% of all deaths in Scotland in that year.
More than 1 in 5 of these deaths are preventable and the NCD Alliance Scotland is campaigning for action on the commercial determinants of health to prevent NCDs and improve Scotland’s health.
Ten-year vision for a healthier Scotland
NCD Alliance Scotland, in collaboration with public health experts from around the world, created a 10-year strategy for a healthier, fairer future for Scotland. One that is free from the burden of preventable NCDs.
The 2024 strategic report called ‘NCD Prevention: A Commercial Determinants of Health Approach’ focuses on:
- the actions taken by industries that either produce or sell products harmful to people’s health
- how these actions influence peoples’ behaviours, causing harm to their health.
The strategy calls for a unified approach to tackle health-harming products like tobacco, alcohol and food and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS).
It covers short, medium and long-term policy interventions to be considered over the next decade, with these 5 key principles:
- adopt a commercial determinants of health approach to public health
- effectively govern the commercial determinants of health
- restrict the marketing of health-harming products
- restrict the availability of health-harming products
- take action on the price of health-harming products
Download the public engagement summary report
Our manifesto for tackling NCD prevention
NCD Alliance Scotland’s 2026 manifesto builds on our 10-year vision for a healthier Scotland. We are calling for policy priorities grounded in decisive, evidence-based action to:
- reduce the harm driven by health-harming products and commercial practices
- address persistent health inequalities
- prioritise people’s health and wellbeing over profit.
NCD Alliance Scotland’s other work
Cross-party inquiry
In 2023, NCD Alliance Scotland (formerly known as NCD Prevention Coalition) facilitated a cross-party inquiry into NCD prevention with involvement from several Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) from the 4 main Parliamentary parties.
Download the inquiry report and read the MSPs’ position statement:
- Cross-Party Inquiry report (PDF, 2MB, 16 pages)
- MSP position statement (PDF, 315KB, 1 page)
Past reports by the NCD Prevention Coalition
- Mapping Future Harm (PDF, 2.2KB, 10 pages)
- BHF Scotland trend projections report 2022 (PDF, 2.6KB, 11 pages)
- NCD Prevention Report Scotland 2021 (PDF, 2.8KB, 16 pages)
- NCD Prevention Report Scotland 2020 (PDF, 1.5KB, 9 pages)
Public health calls
Find out more about our previous public health recommendations, case for action and evidence behind each of our calls:
- 8 public health calls (PDF, 1.5MB, 16 pages)
- Case for action ‘Scotland’s Health: Preventing Harm Through Action’ (PDF, 1.8MB, 4 pages)
- References used in our reports (PDF, 293KB, 11 pages)