There are eight common health risk factors that can lead to a variety of chronic diseases. These risk factors are:
1. Unhealthy diet: A diet high in saturated and trans fats, sugar, refined grains and salt can increase your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions.
2. Physical inactivity: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
3. Tobacco use: Smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products increases your risks of developing lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and other chronic respiratory problems.
4. Excessive alcohol consumption: Drinking alcohol in excess can damage your liver, pancreas and brain as well as increase your risks of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, excessive alcohol consumption can also harm the fetus.
5. Stress: Chronic stress can take a toll on your mental and physical health leading to anxiety, depression, sleep problems and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Managing stress through relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation can help reduce these risks. Stress management is important for everyone but especially those with heart conditions or who have had a heart attack or stroke.
Tobacco use
There are many reasons to quit smoking. People who quit smoking greatly reduce their risk of developing tobacco-related diseases. In fact, after 10 years of quitting, an ex-smoker’s risk of dying from a tobacco-related disease drops to about half that of a continuing smoker .
The health risks associated with tobacco use are well known. However, many people continue to smoke because they find it difficult to quit. If you are a smoker who wants to quit, there are many resources available to help you. Your doctor can provide advice and support, and there are many over-the-counter and prescription medications that can help with nicotine withdrawal symptoms. There are also numerous counseling programs available both in person and online.
Tobacco use is not just harmful to your health; it is also costly. In addition to the personal financial costs associated with buying cigarettes or other tobacco products, there are also significant costs related to lost productivity due to illness or death caused by tobacco use. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking cost the US economy more than $300 billion each year in 2013 in direct medical care expenses and indirect costs such as lost productivity .
If you smoke cigars or pipes instead of cigarettes, you may think that these products pose less health risks than cigarettes; however this is not true. All forms of tobacco contain nicotine-the addictive substance that keeps people coming back for more-as well as harmful chemicals that can damage your body over time . There is no safe level of exposure to these harmful chemicals; even occasional cigar smokers have an increased risk of developing cancer compared with nonsmokers .
Raised blood pressure (or hypertension)
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the force of your blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease.
You can have hypertension for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s due to an underlying medical condition, such as kidney disease. Other times, it can be the result of lifestyle choices, such as smoking or eating an unhealthy diet.
Whatever the cause, hypertension is serious and needs to be treated. If you have hypertension, work with your doctor to create a treatment plan. In most cases, this will involve making lifestyle changes and taking medication.
Making even small changes in your lifestyle can help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of health complications from hypertension.
Physical inactivity
Physical inactivity is a major contributor to the development of these conditions. In fact, it is estimated that around 1 in 6 deaths globally are attributable to physical inactivity. This means that around 5 million people die each year as a result of being physically inactive.
The good news is that these risks can be greatly reduced by becoming more active. Even small amounts of additional activity can have significant health benefits. For example, walking for just 30 minutes a day has been shown to reduce the risk of early death by around 1/3rd.
So if you’re not currently meeting the recommended levels of physical activity (150 minutes per week), then it’s time to start making some changes. There are many ways to become more active, and you don’t necessarily need to join a gym or take up a new sport to do so. Just making some simple changes to your daily routine can make a big difference.
Here are some ideas:
1) Take regular breaks during extended periods of sitting (e.g., at work). Stand up and walk around for a few minutes every hour or so; or try using a standing desk instead of a traditional sit-down desk .
Unhealthy diet
There are a number of factors that contribute to an unhealthy diet. For example, eating too much processed food and not enough fruits and vegetables can make it difficult to get the nutrients your body needs. In addition, consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain.
There are a number of ways to improve your diet and make it healthier. Eating more fruits and vegetables is a good place to start. In addition, choosing leaner protein sources, such as fish or tofu, can help you avoid consuming too many calories. Finally, cutting back on sugary drinks and snacks can help you reduce your intake of empty calories.
Raised blood glucose
Over the years, researchers have identified eight common risk factors that are linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease. These include:
1. Raised blood glucose levels: Higher than normal blood sugar levels (known as hyperglycemia) can damage your arteries, which can lead to heart disease.
2. High blood pressure: This is one of the most important risk factors for heart disease. High blood pressure puts extra strain on your arteries and heart, and can damage them over time. If you have high blood pressure, you’re more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.
3. High cholesterol: This is a type of fat that’s found in your blood. Having too much cholesterol in your blood can make it more likely for fatty deposits to build up in your arteries, which narrows them and makes it harder for blood to flow through them properly. This increases your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke.
4. Smoking: Smoking damages your arteries and makes them narrower, which increases the chances of blockages forming that could lead to a heart attack or stroke. It also damages the lining of your artery walls, which makes it easier for cholesterol and other substances to build up and form blockages.
5. Being overweight or obese: Excess weight increases the strain on your heart and raises your blood pressure, both of which are risk factors for developing heart disease. Obesity is also linked to other conditions that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as diabetes mellitus type 2 and metabolic syndrome.
6. Lack of physical activity: A sedentary lifestyle doesn’t do much good for our hearts. Regular physical activity helps keep our hearts healthy by making them stronger, reducing stress, improving circulation, controlling weight, lowering bad cholesterol levels, and raising good cholesterol levels.
7. Poor diet: Eating foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, salt (sodium), and sugar can all contribute to cardiovascular diseases.
8. Stress: Stressful life events or chronic stress has been linked with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.