lifestyle diseases

What are lifestyle diseases?

Diseases that crop up because of the way you lead your life are called lifestyle
diseases. Since these diseases are linked to the way of life and not passed on
by infected people, they are also called non-communicable diseases or NCDs.
Earlier, these diseases were considered ‘Western diseases’ and it was believed
that only the affluent could get them. However, we can see now that even the
common man is quite susceptible to these, thanks to the poor lifestyle habits we
have adopted today.
Different types of lifestyle diseases may be caused by different lifestyle factors.
For example, someone who leads a sedentary life may be at great risk of heart
diseases. Someone who has an outdoor job and is on the move all day may
curtail this risk, but their smoking habit may put them at a higher risk of Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD.
Some lifestyle diseases examples are:

•Heart disease
•Atherosclerosis
•Stroke
•Respiratory ailments
•Obesity
•Type 2 diabetes

Lifestyle diseases in India

1.Topping the lifestyle diseases list in India is According to experts, this
disease is rising exponentially across the country, especially in urban
areas. From a controlled 2% during the 70s, it went on to affect more than
15% in the year 2020. In metropolitan cities, the numbers are even more
alarming, with 35 to 40% of the residents suffering from diabetes.
2.Obesity is another prevalent lifestyle disease that can affect even
children. Between the years 1955 and 2015, the number of obese people
in India was found to double. Studies showed that the disease was more
common among women. As sedentary lifestyle has become a norm rather
than an exception, we can only expect obesity to increase in proportion
too.
3.Hypertension appears to be common especially in the Eastern and
Northern parts of India. In case of this disease, males seem to be at a
 greater risk, and so do the residents of urban areas when compared to
rural residents. Stress contributes to this disease quite significantly.
4.COPD is more prevalent among women, with women in the age range of
36 to 50 being at greatest risk, about 1.3 times more than their male peers.
This is another disease that may arise from exposure to pollution.
5.Arteriosclerosis, where the arterial blood vessel walls thicken, is another
common lifestyle disease in India. This disease is often found in
conjunction with diabetes, high blood pressure and disproportionate
weight.
6.Heart diseases that arise from damage to heart muscle or blood vessels
also affect a good number of Indians. These problems can be linked to a
lack of activity, smoking, high cholesterol and diabetes too. Reports show
that 26% of deaths in the country can be attributed to this cause.
7.One of the diseases that is not often thought of as a lifestyle disease is
cancer. However, many cosmetics and household products may be
carcinogenic and constant exposure to these can increase the risk of
cancer. In 20% of the cases, the disease can be traced back to exposure
to toxins in the environment.
8.Mental health diseases have been on the rise especially during and post
COVID. Lack of social interactions, being cooped up indoors for months at
end, drastic changes in life, loss of near and dear ones- the list is endless
when we think of why these ailments are increasing across India.
9.Cirrhosis of the liver is a common complaint among those who drink
excessively. With social gatherings becoming the norm at workplaces and
alcohol consumption being viewed as a sign of sophistication, this ailment
has been on the rise among Indians too.
10.Another fallout of the online life we have been leading for several
months now is the prevalence of ear infections among both young and old.
Exposure to loud sound, be it music or talking or any other sounds via
headphone for an extremely long duration can result in ear infections that
cause permanent damage to your hearing ability.
While these are the most common lifestyle diseases, there are plenty more that
can be seen in specific lines of work. For example, orthopaedic complaints are
common in those who need to work at their desk for hours without break.
However, while the list of lifestyle diseases may not be exhaustive, there are a
few common causative factors that may lead to one or others.

Causes of lifestyle diseases

These diseases are typically the result of certain habits a person has developed,
certain restrictions and limitations they have owing to their lifestyle or some kind
of exposure or lack of it that their lifestyle necessitates. To simplify, we can
categorise causes into:

•Smoking, drinking, drugs

•Exposure to pollutants at work or home
 •Lack of physical activity, restricted movement for prolonged hours
•Habits that cause direct damage to the body (earphones, poor seating)
•Poor or unhealthy eating habits (plenty of processed food, little or no
nutritive value in diet, lack of hydration)
•High stress levels
•Poor and/or little sleep

Prevention of lifestyle diseases

The good news here is that it is possible to break the dangerous connection
between lifestyle and diseases simply by making changes in the former. To keep
lifestyle diseases away, these are the four key points to remember and follow:

•Track and maintain healthy weight

•Focus on nutritious food
•Stay active both mentally and physically
•Avoid smoking, drinking, drugs
•Go for regular preventive screening
The foundation for a healthy lifestyle is laid in the early years. Youngsters must
learn the importance of all these in order to choose and adopt a healthy lifestyle
at an early stage to avoid these diseases later in life.
Experts point out the importance of preventive screenings to ward off lifestyle
related diseases as well. It is common knowledge that regular health check-
ups and preventive screenings can help identify even major diseases like cancer
at early stages. At this stage, the disease can be addressed effectively and
treated with non-invasive methods that have better outcomes. A visit to your
doctor at periodic intervals and opting for screening tests – both these play a key
role in good health. Equally important is to get the screening done at a reputed
healthcare services provider like NURA where world class technology comes
together with the best-in-class medical professionals to deliver precise and
accurate test results in the minimum time.