Chronic diseases are ongoing/recurring, not caused by infection, or passed on by contact. They generally cannot be prevented by vaccines, do not resolve spontaneously, and although they can be treated, are rarely cured by medication or other medical procedures. Chronic diseases are often caused by a combination of health-damaging behaviors (smoking, drinking, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity) and exposure to socioenvironmental conditions (stressful living circumstances, poverty, and automobile-focused urban centers) over time. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies four main types of chronic diseases—cardiovascular disease (CVD; primarily heart disease and stroke), cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes—responsible for the majority of related deaths. However, mental disorders, vision and hearing impairment, oral diseases, bone and joint disorders, and genetic disorders are also noted as chronic diseases that account for a substantial portion of the global burden of disease. Inflammatory disorders such as allergic and autoimmune diseases can also be considered chronic diseases and appear to be a growing contributor to this burden.