Lifestyle and Disease

• Diet


  A major factor of cardiovascular diseases
• Diet high in fat and low in vegetables


  Increases the levels of certain types of cholesterol in the blood
• Increased cholesterol levels


  Increases the rate that fatty materials build up in the arteries
• Diet high in salt

  Can increase blood pressure
• Smoking


  Massively increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases
• Regular exercise


  Decreases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases
• Smoking massively increases the risk of lung cancer
• Carcinogens


  Chemicals in cigarette smoke that can trigger cancer
• Smoking increases the risk of other lung diseases eg emphysema
• Cardiovascular diseases and lung diseases are extremely unpleasant and lead to a very poor quality of life
• Smoking when pregnant


  Increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth
• Smoking when pregnant


  Can lead to the baby being born with a low body mass
• Drinking alcohol when pregnant


  Can cause fetal alcohol syndrome
• Fetal alcohol syndrome


  Children born with it can have learning difficulties and other mental or physical problems
• Excessive alcohol consumption by adults

  Increases their risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer
• Excessive alcohol consumption


  Can affect the brain, leading to addiction and memory loss
• Type 2 diabetes


  People with it struggle to control their blood glucose levels
• Type 2 diabetes


  Can lead to blindness or require the amputation of a limb
• Obesity


  Increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• Drinking excess alcohol


  Can lead to obesity and then increase the risk of type 2 diabetes
• Some risk factors are not linked to lifestyle, these include substances that are present in your environment
• Radon


  A radioactive gas that increases your risk of developing lung cancer