Chronic disease.

A chronic disease is a disease that lasts for an extended period, typically three months or more. Chronic diseases usually have no cure, so long-term care and management are often necessary. Chronic diseases may result in premature death or disability. Chronic diseases may effect an individual's quality of life and his or her social, emotional, and economic well-being. Common chronic diseases include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, and cancer. The most common risk factors for developing a chronic disease include an unhealthy diet, tobacco and alcohol use, and obesity. However, people can develop chronic conditions even if their lifestyle is healthy, and it should not be assumed that any given person with a chronic illness must have developed it due to unhealthy behaviors. Certain chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol, can lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that chronic diseases are the major cause of disability and death around the world, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found in 2022 that four of the six leading causes of death in the United States were chronic diseases: cancer, heart disease, stroke, and chronic respiratory conditions.