2.2.6 The Effect of Lifestyle on Non-Communicable Diseases

What are non-communicable diseases?

Non-communicable diseases are not infectious, but there are risk factors that increase the likelihood of them occurring.

What is the human and financial cost of non-communicable diseases?

They place a large burden on families, communities and nations, as treatment is expensive and many people die each year, especially at working age.

What are risk factors?

Risk factors can be aspects of a person's lifestyle, substances in the body, or environmental factors that increase the chance of disease.

Give examples of lifestyle risk factors.

Examples include the type of food people eat, smoking, or lack of exercise.

Give examples of environmental risk factors.

Examples include asbestos fibres, UV rays from the sun, and harmful building materials.

What is the difference between correlation and causation?

If one factor increases as another increases, they are correlated, but this does not prove causation.

What is a causal mechanism?

A causal mechanism is an explanation of how one risk factor directly leads to disease or health changes.

Give examples of cardiovascular risk factors.

A diet high in LDL cholesterol increases blood pressure, smoking damages arteries, and exercise lowers blood pressure.

How does obesity link to Type 2 diabetes?

Obesity affects metabolism because fat molecules are released into the blood, reducing cells' ability to take up sugar.

How does alcohol affect the liver?

Alcohol can cause fatty liver, leading to liver failure.

How does alcohol affect the brain?

Alcohol can damage nerve cells in the brain.

How does smoking affect the lungs?

Smoking damages the cells in the lining of the lungs.

How can smoking and alcohol affect pregnancy?

Smoking and alcohol can cause damaging effects on the unborn child.

What are carcinogens?

Carcinogens are substances such as ionising radiation that can lead to cancer.