B: Factors affecting human lifespan and development

What is a Genetic condition?

Its a result of th changes or mutations in a person’s DNA, leading to health conditions, disabilities or development delays

What is Genetic predisposition?

Occurs when you inherit a condition from one or borh parents, however does not mean that it will develop

What is Cardiovascular disease?

An umbrella term for illnesses relating to the heart or bloodflow affecting other organs usually clogged arteries

Heart disease

Impacts the flow of blood to the heart resulting in heart resulting in heart attacks and heart failure

Strokes

Impacts the flow to the brain

Aortic disease

Found in the heart and is responsible for carrying blood to the rest of the body - this can become damanaged or weak and eventually burst

Peripheral arterial disease

Impacts the blood flow to the limbs

What are BRCA1 and BRCA 2

human genes that act as tumor suppressors, producing proteins that repair damaged DNA and ensure cell stability

How do you test for BRCA variant?

A genetic test is needed which looks for a mutation of the BRCA 1 and 2 genes

Breast cancer

A disease which breast cells grow out of control usually forming a tumour that can be seen in x-ray/felt in a lump

Ovarian cancer

Where abnormal cells in or near ovaries, fallopian tubes or peritonum grow uncontrollably forming tumours

Prostate cancer

Forms within prostrate glands, small glands below the bladder

Breast cancer symptoms

1. Skin changes - redness, scaling

2. Nipple changes - nipple turning inwards, discharge

3. Smelling

4. Lymph nodes - A lung or swelling under the arm or around collarbone

Breast treatments

• Surgery

• Radiotherapy

• Chemotherapy

• Hormone therapy

• Targeted therpay

Ovarian cancer symptoms

• Tiredness

• Weight loss

• Constipation

• Back/pelvic pain

• Irregular bleeding

Prostate cancer symptoms

• needing to urinate more often

• Not actually being able to urinate

• Blood in urine/semen

Prostrate cancer treatments

1. Surgery to remove prostrate gland

2. Radiotherapy

3. Chemotherapy and hormone treatments

What is Diabetes?

It’s a chronic condition that occurs when your body cannot properly turn food into energy

Whats the diffeence between Type 1 & 2 diabetes

1. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the pancreas produces no insulin, requiring lifelong insulin therapy

2. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused by insulin resistance (cells not using insulin properly) and inadequate production, often linked to lifestyle, diet, and weight,

Common symptoms of diabetes

• Polydipsia - extreme unquenchable thirst

• Polyuria - Frequent eurge to urinate

• Polyphasia - Intense hunger

• Feeling exhausted due to cells not getting fuel

• Blurred vision

What is screening?

when people are invited for a test to look for disease despite them having no symptoms

What is Huntington’s disease?

An inheritied disease which occurs because of damaged nerve cells in the brain caused b a defective, dominant gene

Symptoms of Huntingtons disease

• Problems with positive and balance

• Slow processing difficulty organising information

• Social withdrawal and feelings of isolation

• Irritable or impulsive behaviour

Treatments to stop symptoms progression of Huntingtons

Anti-depressants

Medicine to help with mood swings

Physiotherapy

Speech and language therapy

How do you test for Huntington’s disease?

Genetic testing

What is Alzheimer’s?

It’s a progressive brain disorder that slowly destorys memory and thinking skills - eventually impairing ones ability to carry out daily tasks

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis is a rare inherited genetic condition that causes breathing and digestive problems

If 2 carriers of cystic fibrosis have a baby…

1 in 4 (25%) chance if will have it

2 in 4 (50%) chance it will not have it but be a carrier

1 in 4 chance it will not have it or be a carrier

What is Sickle cell anaemia?

It’s the name for a group of inherited health conditions that affect the red blood cells. The most serious type is called sickle cell anaemia

What are some symptoms of sickle cell

• Painful episodes called sickle crises

• An increased risk of serious infectious

• Anemia

Body mass index (BMI)

A measure of body weight that can be used to estimate body fat. Used to assess whether your weight is within a ‘healthy’ range for your height

The eatwell guide

NHS recommends about 1/3 of the diet should be fruit and veg

1/3 starch/ carbs

Rest split between protein, dairy and healthy fats

Healthy eating through the ages

The “Building” Phase (Ages 0-5)

The “Habit” Phase (Ages 6-12)

The “Power” Phase (Ages 13-18)

The “Balance” Phasse (Ages 19-64)

The “Protection” Phase (Ages 65+)

Prons of BMI

Low cost, easy to track, and correlates with general health risks in large group

Cons of BMI

It ignores body composition and fat distrubution

➡ Often miscalculates athletes as ‘overweight’ and feels to account for ethnic variations in bone density and muscle mass

How does a growth spurt temporarily skew BMI data?

Adolescent data is skewed because physical development is out of sync

Adolescent twist

Refers to the non-linear way teens develop

WHR (Waist-to-hip ratio)

measures where you store fat rather than just how much you weigh

Name things smoking can cause

• Cancers

• Damage to blood vessels

• Lung problems

• Apperance chaned (Stains fingers/ teeth)

• Fertility issues

• Slower recovery rate

What is the recommended alcohol consumption for adults per week?

14 Units

Risks of alcohol to your physical health:

Addiction

Liver disease

Heart disease

Cancer

Quality of sleep

Uninterrupted, deep and age - appropriate rest

Memory consolidation

During REM (Rapid eye movement) sleep, the brain moves information from temporary storage to long term memory

What is Neuroplasticity?

Sleep strengthens the connections between neurons

The “Glymplatic” Clean-up

While you sleep, your brain literally flushes out metabolic waste

Growth hormone (GH) secretion

The vast majority of human growth hormone is released during deep, slow-wave sleep (If sleep is consistently cut sort growth can be stunted)

Immune system training

Sleep is when the body touches the immune system to recognise/fight off threats

How much does your core body temperature need to drop by to iniciate sleep?

Needs to drop by 1c to 1.5c

What are prenatal vitamins?

These inculdes folic acid (recommended prior to conception) up until 12 weeks gestation

Vitamin D and Calcium

Calcium is important for bone formation whilst vitamin D helps the body absorb it

What is the importance of iron during pregnancy?

Important during pregnancy for its role in delivering oxygen in the blood to the foetus

How is protien important during pregnancy?

Important for growth of new tissue

Foods to avoid during pregnancy:

▫ Liver

▫ Game

▫ Pâté

▫ Cured meats

▫ Raw fish

▫ Limited tuna

▫ Shark/ swordfish

▫ Raw/ partially cooked eggs

▫ Limited caffeine

▫ Vitamin A supplements

What does smoking during pregnancy cause?

• Oxygen deprivation: Carbon monoxide + nicotine reduce the amount of oxygen the baby receives

• Premature birth

• SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome)

• Placental abruption

What does drinking alcohol during pregnancy cause?

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)

• Brain damage

• Physical deformaties

What do illegal drugs during pregnancy cause?

• Miscarriage + still birth

• Baby could become dependant on drug

• Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)

• Cognitive & Behavioural problems

What does the NHS describe health inequalities as?

‘Unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population and between’

What is the social gradient?

The concept that the lower your social and economic position, the worse your health is likely to be

Life expectancy

Refers to the average number of years a group people are expected to live for

What is the average life expectancy for females in the UK?

83.3 years

What is the average life expectancy for males in the UK?

79.4 years