Lifestyle Diseases-The Self imposed Doom
Titto
Cherian1 & Dr. George Abraham2
1Ph.D Scholar, J,J,T, University, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan
2Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Education and Sports
Sciences, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu.
Abstract
There are great
concerns in developing countries about lifestyle diseases, which are emerging
with greater frequency. By increasing longevity, people are more likely to
develop diseases that usually affect the elderly. With more people living
longer, incidence of these kinds of diseases grows. 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. There is
some evidence to suggest that some diseases have decreased when enough
education occurs. Currently many countries are attempting similar campaigns to
reduce obesity, particularly childhood obesity, which is a growing epidemic and
can lead to many other types of lifestyle disease. 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
Introduction
Exercise
is important for all children, even those who do not like sports, have little
co-ordination, or have a disability. 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.
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
The term “life style” is rather a diffuse concept often used to denote
“the way people live “reflecting a whole range of social values, attitudes and activities.
It composed of cultural and behavioral patterns and lifelong personal habits (Eg;
Smoking, Alcoholism) that have developed through the process of socialization.
Life styles are learnt through social interaction with parents, peer groups,
friends and siblings and through schools and mass media.
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 and TV time to no more than 2
hours a day
Healthy food
Limit sweetened beverages
Sit
down together for family meals.
Emphasize activity, not exercise.
Smoking can kill
Alcohol is a cause of lifestyle diseases
Manage your Diabetes
Conclusion
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
and we can radiate joy, peace, bliss and
knowledge, where ever we go.
References
1.
Chinnappa Reddi, P. (2007). Proceedings
of FISU conference, better living through
exercise.
2.
Ray S, Kulkarni B, Sreenivas
A. Prevalence of prehypertension in young
military adults & its association with overweight & dyslipidaemia.
Indian J Med (2011)134:162–65.
3.
Bundesgesundheitsblatt
Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. (2012) S-9.
4.
Bull F, Armstrong TP, Dixon
T et al (2004) Physical inactivity.
5.
Ezzati M, Lopez AD, Rodgers A, Murray C (Hrsg)
Comparative quantification of health
risks. World Health Organization, Geneva, S 729–881
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