Helpful public policy may improve health behaviors

Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory disease, are the leading cause of mortality around the world, and they are very costly. Some of these diseases are associated with lifestyle choices, such as poor diet, physical inactivity and smoking. As background for a new study explains, health departments and legislative bodies have adopted policies aimed at combating these behavioral risk factors, such as banning trans fats in restaurants and raising taxes on cigarettes.