Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) — mainly cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and cancer — are top killers in the South-East Asia Region, claiming an estimated 8.5 million lives each year. One third of these deaths are premature and occur before the age of 70 years, thus affecting economically productive individuals. The four ‘major’ NCDs are caused to a large extent by four modifiable behavioural risk factors: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity and harmful use of alcohol. NCDs disproportionately affect the poor, impoverish families, and place a growing burden on health-care systems. Cost-effective interventions are available to prevent and control noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors throughout the life course. Coordinated actions are across all sectors of society required to combat NCDs, including partnerships among governments, civil society, academia, international organizations and the private sector.