Lifestyle

• Causes of death in the 20th century

  • Infectious diseases
  • Heart disease
  • Cancer
• In the past, one of the most common ways people died was through infectious diseases
• With a better understanding of germ Theory and how infections are caused, greater action is taken to prevent infectious diseases
• More people have survived for longer due to better prevention of infectious diseases, allowing lifestyle factors to have a greater role in health
• Attitudes towards smoking have changed dramatically due to understanding the impact of lifestyle on health
• Life expectancy for both men and women increased throughout the 20th century
• Life expectancy for men increased by 29 years and for women by 30 years in the 20th century
• Life expectancy decreased dramatically for men in the 1910s and 1940s due to the first and second world wars
• Smoking, drinking, treatment of disease, prevention of infection, improved public health, and hospitals are factors contributing to increased life expectancy
• Smoking was recognized to cause heart disease, cancers, and blood pressure problems
• Drinking alcohol can lead to liver problems, cancer, blood pressure issues, obesity, and mental health difficulties
• Lack of exercise can lead to heart disease, obesity, poor circulation, and mental health issues