The majority of us organise our days with a focus on ease and relaxation. However, what we forget to recognise is that the decisions we make about our way of life present a significant danger to our health.
We’ve developed a whole new set of issues that are often known as lifestyle diseases as a result of our preference for sedentary lifestyles and quick-service eateries over more physically demanding ways of living, such as cooking our own homemade meals.
Nearly 26 per cent of Indians between the ages of 30 and 70 are expected to suffer from heart disease and diabetes due to their sedentary lifestyles, according to World Health Organisation research from 2014.
Don’t lose hope if one of these conditions has previously been diagnosed with you. A change in lifestyle may help alleviate or even reverse these effects. Continue reading to get an in-depth understanding of the different types and causes of lifestyle diseases, as well as the best ways to avoid contracting them.
What are Lifestyle Diseases?
The term “lifestyle diseases” refers to conditions that are mostly caused by the activities and behaviours of a person in their day-to-day routine. If a person’s routine activities aren’t carried out correctly, it’s possible that they’ll find themselves adopting a sedentary way of life on a daily basis.
A lifestyle like this might further increase one’s risk of developing various chronic non-communicable illnesses, the effects of which can be very serious or even life-threatening.
Types of Lifestyle Diseases
The following lifestyle diseases list will provide you with information that will provide you with a more in-depth understanding of the various lifestyle disorders.
Heart Disease
Conditions affecting the heart, its muscles, valves, arteries, or the internal electric channels accountable for muscle contractions are included in the category of illnesses that may be attributed to a person’s way of life and are referred to as heart diseases. Heart failure, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, and heart valve disease are some of the most frequent types of complications that may arise from having heart disease.
While researchers have yet to pinpoint a single cause for cardiovascular illness or heart disease, they have identified various lifestyle variables that put people at increased risk for acquiring these conditions. Factors such as age, smoking, poor diet, hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, obesity, lack of exercise, and stress all have a role.
Hypertension
Hypertension, often known as high blood pressure, is a condition characterised by abnormally high levels of tension or pressure in the arteries, which are the blood vessels that transport the bloodstream from the heart towards the body’s other parts. This lifestyle disease may lead to a number of different problems, including kidney failure (renal disease), cardiovascular disease, damage to the eyes, stroke (brain injury), and coronary artery hardening (arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis).
Even though the precise reason for high blood pressure is unknown, people should be aware of the various factors that put them at risk for developing the condition. These risk factors include having a history of hypertension in the family, being overweight, being older, not being physically active, smoking, consuming an excessive amount of salt or sodium, consuming insufficient potassium, drinking an excessive amount of alcohol, and having certain medical illnesses such as sleep disorders, kidney problems, and diabetes.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases
The term “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” (often abbreviated as “COPD”) refers to a long-term lung condition that causes the outflow of air from the lungs to become restricted and irritated.
A persistent cough that produces mucus, wheezing, trouble breathing that lasts for an extended period of time, and other symptoms are all associated with COPD. This lifestyle disorder is often brought on by hereditary predisposition, the practice of smoking cigarettes, as well as environmental factors, including gas leaks and pollutants.
Passive smoking, occupational exposure to chemicals, dust, and fumes, a background of early respiratory illness, and a genetic disease identified as Alpha-1 deficiency are all risk factors for COPD.
Obesity
People develop obesity as a result of engaging in eating behaviours that are not only undesirable but also unhygienic. Other contributing variables include lower levels of physical exercise, high levels of stress, and other lifestyle choices. People who are obese possess a body mass index (BMI) that is higher than 25, and they are more likely to have health issues related to their cardiovascular system, their breathing, their blood pressure, and their diabetes. This is a foundational illness that may lead to other chronic conditions.
There are several potential dangers that might lead to obesity, not only poor diet and lack of exercise. Factors including age, genetics, family medical history, ethnicity, and exposure to obesogenic substances in the environment are all contributors to obesity. These have the potential to alter hormone levels and lead to a rise in body fat.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a disorder that occurs when cells are unable to make effective use of blood sugar as a source of energy. This takes place when the cells develop insulin resistance and the sugar levels in the blood steadily rise to unhealthy levels over time. This lifestyle-related illness is brought on by a confluence of a number of risk factors, including dysfunctional beta cells, metabolic syndrome, excess body fat, and others.
Factors that increase your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes include being overweight, eating a diet high in sugar, highly processed, leading a sedentary lifestyle, using artificial sweeteners, drinking soda, being genetically predisposed to the disease, not getting enough exercise, and being under a lot of stress.
Asthma
Because of the constriction and inflammation of the airways, asthma is a chronic inflammatory illness that lasts for a long time and affects people’s lifestyles. This widespread persisting condition may cause symptoms such as wheezing, tightness of the chest, persistent coughing, and breathing difficulties.
A definitive cause for these types of lifestyle diseases has yet to be identified. However, there are various risk factors that should be taken into account.
Asthma risk factors include becoming overweight, having a family history of asthma, tobacco, having atopic dermatitis, being subjected to combustion byproducts or other types of pollution, being exposed to vocational triggers such as chemical compounds used in industrial production, and being subjected to secondhand smoke.
Stroke
When a part of the brain stops receiving oxygenated blood, we call it a stroke. If a section of the brain is damaged, the bodily system it controls will cease functioning. “Brain attack,” “Cerebrovascular accident,” and “stroke” are all names for the same medical emergency. Mostly, a stroke is caused by either the blockage of an artery or the rupture or bleeding of a blood vessel.
Stroke risk factors include hypertension, diabetes, excessive cholesterol levels, tobacco use, and cardiac rhythm disorders, including atrial fibrillation.
Osteoporosis
In males, low levels of androgen hormones contribute to osteoporosis, whereas low levels of estrogen hormones have a role in the development of these lifestyle diseases in women.
Millions of new instances of this bone-weakening illness are reported each year in India, making it a prime example of a lifestyle disease. This lifestyle disorder results in a loss in bone density, which in turn has an effect on the structure and strength of the bones. An increased likelihood of bone fracture may be the outcome of porous bone.
The many potential causes of osteoporosis should be taken into account. Vitamin D deficiency, tobacco, low calcium supplementation, a family background of osteoporosis, hepatitis C, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, lack of physical activity, excessive caffeine and consumption of alcohol, adolescent and young adult amenorrhea, hyperthyroidism, and hyperparathyroidism are all risk factors for osteoporosis.
Different Ways for Avoiding Lifestyle Diseases
Have a look at the many strategies for the prevention of lifestyle disorders that are listed below:
Having a Healthy Diet
It is crucial for one’s health and well-being to consume only nutritious foods. Fresh fruits, leafy greens, and diets high in fibre and calcium should all be emphasised. Moreover, the following dietary practices may help people avoid lifestyle diseases:
- Swapping out unhealthy snacks for more nutritious alternatives
- Taking in an appropriate quantity of water via one’s diet
- Avoiding or reducing one’s intake of fatty meals as much as possible
- Making the switch to flour that contains several grains or whole grains
- Reducing the amount of food consumed at each meal and increasing the frequency of meals.
Keeping Your Diet and Workouts Balanced
Finding and maintaining a healthy balance between eating and exercising is crucial for everyone’s health. To maintain the immune system healthy and strong, people need to start exercising 30 minutes each day, five days per week.
Jogging is a fantastic physical activity for people of all ages. It’s a good way to get in shape and burn more calories while also boosting your power, agility, and resilience. And that’s just one of many options for making physical exercise a regular part of one’s life, which may help keep lifestyle diseases at bay.
Sustaining a Weight-Monitoring System
People should keep a tight eye on their weight. The accumulation of excess fat everywhere in the body, but particularly around the midsection, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to suffer from serious conditions including diabetes, sleep disorders, and cancer.
Ignoring the Allure of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs
About a third of all fatalities from heart disease may be avoided by abstaining from alcohol and tobacco usage. Both of these compounds are very damaging to the vascular system and increase the likelihood of blood clots and atherosclerosis by a factor of two.
Maintaining abstinence from these potentially harmful practices has been linked to a reduced risk of developing a variety of lifestyle diseases, as well as increased vitality, better lung function, and a more youthful appearance of the skin.
Choosing to Get Regular Checkups
Regular checkups with a doctor allow for a comprehensive evaluation of one’s health. It also helps in making accurate diagnoses quickly so that patients may begin medication. Schedule a checkup every six months if you’re looking for details about lifestyle diseases and how to treat them.
Also read more about the 6 best exercises to lose weight
Wrapping Up
Millions of individuals throughout the world are increasingly attracting lifestyle diseases owing to their inconsistent way of life, unusual diet, and sedentary outlook. Diseases including cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, overweight, depression, and heart disease are now frequent in every age group.
While modern technology has made treatments accessible for each of these conditions, they are nonetheless potentially lethal and may have a cumulative effect on a person’s life expectancy. The only method to avoid these terrible diseases and have a prolonged, healthy life is to make certain adjustments to one’s everyday routine.
FAQs-
What do you mean by lifestyle diseases?
Lifestyle diseases are characterised by the fact that their occurrence is mostly dependent on the everyday routines of individuals and that they are the consequence of an unsuitable interaction between people and their surroundings.
What are the causes of lifestyle diseases?
Inactivity, poor diet, smoking, and drinking to excess are the four personal habits that have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of developing lifestyle diseases.
What are the 5 most common lifestyle diseases?
The five most frequent lifestyle diseases are heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure.
