Lifestyle diseases are diseases that appear to increase in frequency as countries become more industrialized and people live longer.

Factors leading to lifestyle diseases are mainly:
1. Smoking
2. Diet
3. Lack of physical activity

Below are two examples of how these factors might lead to lifestyle diseases that are risk factors for other lifestyle diseases:
・Overconsumption of cholesterol -> high blood cholesterol levels -> accumulation of cholesterol within blood vessel walls -> atherosclerosis -> heart disease/stroke
・Sedentary lifestyle -> high blood pressure -> injury to blood vessel walls -> accumulation of cholesterol within blood vessel walls -> atherosclerosis -> heart disease/stroke

In Japan, the major cause of death is cancer, followed by heart diseases　and then strokes. They attribute to around 58% of all deaths, and are on a yearly increase. Incidences of lifestyle diseases can be lowered with changes to lifestyle, and precautions should be taken early before it is too late.

The Statistics Bureau and the Director-General for Policy Planning of Japan