Although the advancement in Medical field has been able to curb many serious infectious conditions, most non-communicable conditions still prevails without a cure.
These disease, which are basically a result of altered lifestyle, have become a major concern in developed and developing countries. About 14.2 million people all around the globe die, aged between 30-70 years, from such lifestyle-related diseases each year. These statistics proves that these conditions are taking more toll of lives than major infectious and hereditary conditions.
The lifestyle factors linked with disease are physical inactivity, junk food and unhealthy diet, tobacco and alcohol use. Let’s take a look at 10 of these lifestyle-related diseases.
1. Obesity
Obesity has emerged as a serious problem, especially in the adults. The basic cause behind obesity remains the lack of physical activity, and unhealthy meals. What makes obesity even a graver issue is that a person with too much weight may also suffer from high blood pressure, breathing problems, cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
2. Heart disease
It can be classified as the conditions that affect the blood vessel walls and heart muscles. The major causative factors related to heart disease development are diabetes, smoking, and excessive cholesterol intake.
3. Arteriosclerosis
In arteriosclerosis the walls of arterial blood vessels thickens and, thus, loses their elasticity.
In Atherosclerosis fatty plaques deposit over the arterial wall lining. It leads to blood circulation disorders and increases the risk of chest pain and heart attack. Often, the condition is associated with obesity and hypertension, i.e. high blood pressure.
4. Type II diabetes
It is the non-insulin dependent type of diabetes where the chief cause of problem lies in the decreased sensitivity of the insulin receptors. Obesity plays a major role in development of Diabetes-Type 2 and is prevalent mostly in adults.
Although intake of sugar does not play a role in development of the disease, but it certainly is a risk factor in worsening of the disease once it’s manifested.
5. Hypertension
Increased blood pressure, above 140/90, called as hypertension. There are many factors responsible for the development of hypertension like obesity, stress, overuse of dietary salt, genetic factors and ageing.
6. Cancer
Cancer refers to an abnormal growth of the tissues in any part of the body. The common lifestyle-related cancers are lung cancer which can occur due to persistent smoking and skin cancer which can occur due to over-exposure to the harmful rays of sun.
7. Swimmer’s ear
Swimmer’s ear is condition involving irritation, inflammation, or infection of the outer ear and the ear canal. Its symptoms are tinnitus, which is ringing or buzzing in ear, and problems in comprehending speech patterns.
The common cause for Swimmer’s ear is listening to loud music and persistent use of headphones.
8. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
COPD is characterized by an advancing, permanent airways obstruction. Major risk factors responsible for development and worsening of the disease are air pollution and smoking.
9. Stroke
Stroke is the result of a blockage of a blood vessel supplying the brain. That leads to oxygen deficiency in the area of the suffering area of the brain. The symptoms depend on the extent and the location of the brain area involved, like seizures, loss of consciousness, comma, and weakness to paralysis of the areas supplied by affected area.
10. Cirrhosis
Liver Cirrhosis is a group of liver conditions. Main causes related to cirrhosis are heavy alcohol drinking and chronic hepatitis.
