Risk factors and causesSpec 4.2.2.6
Risk factors are linked to an increased rate of a disease. They can be:
- aspects of a person's lifestyle
- substances in the person's body or environment.
A causal mechanism has been proven for some risk factors, but not for others. A correlation between a risk factor and a disease does not prove that the risk factor causes the disease. A causal mechanism explains how the risk factor leads to the disease.
Many diseases are caused by the interaction of a number of factors. For example, CHD is affected by diet, smoking and how much exercise a person takes, as well as other factors.