BACKGROUND: The prevalence of preventable non-communicable disease (NCD) underpins the need for a life-course and cross-sectoral approach to population health that is grounded in health promotion and disease prevention. European Union (EU) countries typically spend 6 to 13% of gross domestic product (GDP) on health care, yet less than 3% of this is dedicated to prevention. The extent to which spending in other sectors prevents avoidable ill-health is largely unknown. The lack of fiscal …