HHD - biological factors

biological factors

relates to the structure of the cells, tissues and systems of the body and how adequately they function

body weight

being overweight or obese increases the risk of suffering from : cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, some cancers, arthritis, sleep apnea, social exclusion, depression

blood pressure

• Blood pressure is normally reported as the systolic figure over the diastolic figure, 120/80 indicates normal blood pressure.

• A person with high blood pressure has hypertension

This may mean that their heart and kidneys (which regulate blood pressure and filter the blood) have to work harder and causing blood flow to be restricted

blood cholestrol

• Cholesterol is a type of fat required for numerous functions in the body.

• There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as 'bad' cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as 'good' cholesterol.

glucose regulation

• blood glucose levels are consistently high --> then the levels of insulin are also high

• If this occurs over a long period of time, the cells can become resistant to the action of insulin, preventing glucose from being absorbed

• This is known as impaired glucose regulation or insulin resistance

• Insulin resistance is seen as a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

• Insulin resistance is seen as a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

Birth weight

Babies born with a low birth weight (under2.5 kilograms) are more likely to have an underdeveloped immune system, making them more susceptible to infections which increases the risk of premature death and can lead to an increased infant mortality rate.

genetics

Genetics controls many aspects of life that influence health and wellbeing, such as sex, body type, hormone production, predisposition to disease and aspects of personality