Noncommunicable diseases have a few defining characteristics: They don’t spread from person to person. (In other words, they aren’t contagious.) They also usually last longer than a year — and often require long-term medical treatment.

You can use “noncommunicable disease” and “chronic disease” interchangeably. They mean the same thing.

And here’s an additional key piece of information to know: In most cases, NCDs are either preventable or can be managed so they don’t bring down your quality of life.

Four basic actions can help lower your risk of chronic health issues: exercise, eating right, managing stress and sleeping well.