Lifestyle Diseases-The Progressive Killer Of
The Decade
DR. Titto Cherian
Faculty in Physical Education, Patriarch Ignatius
Zakka-I Training College, Malecruz
Abstract
There is
overwhelming scientific evidence highlighting the health, social and
psychological benefits associated with an active lifestyle. By increasing
longevity, people are more likely to develop diseases that usually affect the
elderly. Increased exposure to western lifestyle and eating habits which are characteristics
of urban Indian environment and decreased participation in physical activity are
contributing factors to increase in health problems. These diseases may not be
attributable to behavior in early life, but instead simply become consequences
of surviving to a certain age. However, most times lifestyle diseases do refer
to those conditions that could be prevented if behavior was changed. A sharp
rise in lifestyle diseases such as heart problems and strokes, coupled with a
lack of adequate preventive health care, threatens India's future growth
prospects
Key Words:
Longevity, life style diseases, behavior, health care
Introduction
Maintaining an active lifestyle
is an important part of a healthy life. A healthy lifestyle helps to lead a
longer and healthier life. By focusing on active "play" instead of
exercise, children will most likely change their exercise behaviors and
increase their physical activity on their own. Once a certain level of
prosperity sets in, especially if life is lived similar to the way Westerners
live it, lifestyle diseases become more common. Some of these diseases aren’t
really due to behavior, but are instead due to longevity. Conditions like
enlarged prostate or prostate cancer and Alzheimer’s disease mostly occur in
people of a certain age.
Communicable diseases like malaria,
cholera and polio have become manageable due to recent advancements in
medicines. However a new breed of diseases has developed, called ‘Lifestyle
diseases’ such as heart disease, some cancers and diabetes, which are no longer
a problem just in wealthy nations. Globally 14.2 million people between the
ages of 30-69 years die prematurely each year from these diseases. These
diseases have emerged as bigger killers than infectious or hereditary ones.
Risk factors for these diseases include tobacco use, unhealthy diets and
physical inactivity. Today we will take look at the most common lifestyle
diseases that you need to take seriously.
Although medicine has evolved
extensively, and has eradicated most of the diseases that were prevalent in the
19th century, the next generation has been plagued with a fresh set
of diseases, creatively called “Life
Style Diseases” These diseases which were the result of fast paced life
style that necessarily accompanies the development that has been brought about
in the lives of individuals over years. Lack of sleep also causes lifestyle
diseases
A disease associated with the way a
person or group of people lives. Lifestyle diseases include atherosclerosis,
heart disease, and stroke; obesity and type 2 diabetes; and diseases associated
with smoking and alcohol and drug abuse. Regular physical activity helps
prevent obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, and
premature mortality.
Health requires a promotion of
healthy life style. In the last 20 years, a considerable body of evidence has
accumulated which indicates that there is an association between health and lifestyles
of individuals. Many current health problems especially in the developing
countries such as India where traditional lifestyles still persist, risk of
illness and death are connected with lack of sanitation, poor nutrition,
personal hygiene, elementary human habits, customs and cultural patterns.
Disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, hypertension, stress and
anxiety are emerging as the greatest health risks in today's hectic and
aggressive world
Healthy living is a universally
accepted and realized terminology. It is the capacity to meet the present and
potential physical and mental challenges of life with success. The present
concept of “healthy living” is not only freedom from disease, but also to gain
enough strength, agility, flexibility, endurance and skills to meet the demands
of daily life and to build sufficient reserve energy to withstand stress and
strain. Lifestyle diseases are health problems and
conditions that come about as a result of our modern lifestyles. They include
Obesity, Cancer, Diabetes,
Heart, Stroke, High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure and Digestive Problems. Some of these
diseases lead to or contribute to other lifestyle diseases developing.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) continue
to be the major cause of mortality representing about 30 per cent of all deaths
worldwide. Lifestyle diseases like hypertension, diabetes mellitus,
dyslipidaemia and overweight/obesity are the major risk factors for the
development of CVD. With rapid economic development and increasing
westernization of lifestyle in the past few decades prevalence of these
diseases has reached alarming proportions among Indians in the recent years.
Lifestyle diseases
now target kids
Surveys show that about 20% of the
school children are obese and hypertensive. They get exhausted easily, are
sloth and run out of breath at the slightest sign of physical movement. This is
a cause of concern because these kids are potential heart patients. Schools are
keeping a tab on obese children's tiffin boxes to ensure that they do not
consume chips or oily food. School canteens should ban from stocking chips,
aerated drinks and junk food. "Obesity is a problem and we do not want
things to get out of hand, so all soft drinks and junk foods are to be
banned," Some schools
have singled out kids with hypertension and those that are inching towards
heart conditions and have prepared diet charts for them with the help of the
school dietitian, which parents are being advised to follow. For the mid-day
meal, such children are advised to either eat toast and a fruit and curd.
Lifestyle and
home remedies
Limit recreational
computer & TV time to not more than 1 to 2 hours a day
Healthy food
Limit sweetened beverages
Sit down together for family meals.
Emphasize activity
Say good bye to
smoking and Alcohol consumption
Manage your
Diabetes
Conclusion
An active lifestyle is a way of life
that integrates physical activity into your daily routines. Take note of the
detrimental effects unhealthy habits may have on your wellbeing and future, and
minimise your risk of developing a lifestyle disease. You have the power to
change your lifestyle, and you also have control over making your family's
financial future secure. Health is our birth right but not disease. Strength is
our heritage but not weakness, efficiency but not inefficiency, courage but not
fear, bliss but not sorrow, peace but not restlessness, knowledge but not
ignorance, immortality but not mortality, So let us Avoid, Overcome and Combat
Lifestyle Diseases through maintaining an active lifestyle and
thereby we can radiate joy, peace, bliss and knowledge, where ever we go.
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