The Effect of Lifestyle on some Non-Communicable Diseases

• What are non-communicable diseases?

  Diseases that are not infectious but have risk factors increasing their likelihood
• What is the human and financial cost of non-communicable diseases?

  High mortality rates and expensive research and treatment costs
• What are risk factors for non-communicable diseases?

  Aspects of lifestyle, substances in the body, or environmental factors
• What does correlation between two factors indicate?

  One factor increases as another increases
• What is required to prove causation between two correlated factors?

  A causal mechanism explaining how one influences the other
• How does a diet high in LDL cholesterol affect cardiovascular health?

  It can block arteries and increase blood pressure
• What effect does smoking have on arteries?

  It damages the walls of arteries
• How does exercise affect blood pressure?

  It lowers blood pressure, reducing strain on the heart
• How does obesity affect type 2 diabetes?

  It affects the body's metabolism and sugar uptake
• What are the effects of alcohol on liver and brain function?

  It can cause fatty liver and damage nerve cells in the brain
• How does smoking affect lung health?

  It damages the cells in the lining of the lungs
• What are the risks of smoking and alcohol during pregnancy?

  They can cause damaging effects on the unborn child
• What are carcinogens?

  Substances like ionising radiation that can lead to cancers