diseases

• hypertension

  when blood is being pumped through the arteries at a harder and faster rate that is considered normal/healthy
• atherosclerosis

  refers to the build-up of plaque on blood vessel walls, making it harder for blood to get through
• cardiovascular disease

  Encompasses ALL diseases of the heart and blood vessels

  (including heart, stroke and vascular diseases). Caused mainly by

  reduced blood supply to the heart, brain and legs (usually caused

  by atherosclerosis).
• cancer

  A range of diseases categorised by uncontrolled and abnormal cell

  growth. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body causing

  further damage.
• diabetes

  A metabolic disease which leads to high blood glucose levels from

  defective insulin secretion, insulin action or both.
• impaired glucose regulation/insulin resistance

  Occurs when the cells become resistant to the action of insulin,

  preventing glucose from being absorbed by the cells. Is a precursor

  to type 2 diabetes mellitus.
• BMI

  A statistical measure of body mass using height and weight.

  Formula: BMI=weight(kg)/height(m)2
• anaemia

  A condition characterised by a reduced ability of the body to

  deliver enough oxygen to the cells due to a lack of healthy blood

  cells. In this case due to insufficient iron.
• asthma

  A chronic condition that affects the small air passages of the lungs.

  When exposed to certain triggers the airways narrow, making it

  difficult to breathe.
• osteoporosis

  Refers to porous bones, where the bone density thins and

  weakens, resulting in an increased risk of fracture (breakage).
• chromic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

  A progressive and disabling long-term lung diseases where

  damage to the lungs obstructs oxygen intake and causes increasing

  shortness of breath. eg emphysema.
• mental health disorders

  Disturbances of mood or thought that can affect behaviour and

  distress the person, so that the person has trouble functioning

  normally. They include anxiety disorders and depression.
• dementia

  Dementia describes a collection of symptoms that are caused by

  disorders affecting the brain. It is not one specific disease.

  Dementia affects thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform

  everyday tasks. Brain function is affected enough to interfere with

  the person’s normal social or working life.

  Leading cause is Alzheimer’s Disease.
• foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

  An umbrella term that describes a range of conditions that can

  occur in children exposed to alcohol before birth.
• neural tube defects

  Conditions characterised by damage to the brain and spine, and to

  the nerve tissue of the spinal cord during prenatal development.

  eg spina bifida.
• colorectal cancer

  Cancer that develops in the colon (large intestine) and rectum is called colorectal cancer. It begins as non-cancerous

  polyps (grape-like growths) on the lining of the colon and they can develop into cancer if not removed.
• type 2 diabetes

  The body usually produces enough insulin, but its action is ineffective.

  This may be due to excess fat which has damaged the insulin receptors in cells