Non communicable diseases and lifestyle

• risk factor

  • any attribute, characteristic or exposure of an individual that increases the chance of contracting a certain disease/injury
• lifestyle

  • the way in which someone chooses to live their life
• causal mechanism

  • something t hat explains how 1 factor influences another
  • i.e the link between 2+ factors
• correlation

  • a pattern in data, when 2 sets of data are strongly linked together
  • this doesn't always mean one has caused the other
  • a correlation is a link between 2 factors such as a non communicable disease and a lifestyle factor
• risk factors that can contribute

  • CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE:
  • genetics, high cholesterol, obesity
  • CANCER:
  • radiation exposure, smoking, obesity
  • LUNG DISEASE:
  • pollution exposure, other carcinogens
  • DIABETES:
  • family history, lack of exercise, obesity, age 45+
• Nicotine

  • produces sense of calm, well being and a feeling of being able to cope
• Carbon monoxide

  • poisonous gas found in tobacco smoke- takes up some oxygen carrying capacity of the blood
• Tar

  • sticky black chemical that accumulates in lungs, turns them pink > grey
  • smokers are more likely to develop bronchitis
  • tar build up in lung tissue can lead to a breakdown ion alveoli structure, causing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• SMOKING IN PREGNANCY

  • woman needs to carry oxygen for her and foetus
  • woman's blood has CO, the shortage in oxygen can make the foetus grow improperly
  • can lead to premature births, low birthweight babies and stillborns
• TOBACCO SMOKE AND THE TRACHEA

  • cilia can be anaesthetised by some chemicals in the smoke
  • they stop working, allow dirt and pathogens down to the lungs, risk of infection
• SMOKING

  • narrows blood vessels in skin, aging it|
  • nicotine makes hearts race
  • other chemicals damage artery lining, coronary heart disease more likely
  • mix of chemicals in cigarette smoke increases blood pressure
  • combination of effects > increase in likelihood of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes
• ALCOHOL AND THE LIVER/BRAIN

  • cirrhosis of liver can develop, disease that destroys liver tissue
  • active liver cells are replaced with scar tissue - can't carry out vital functions
  • alcohol is a carcinogen > risk of liver cancer
  • long term alcohol can cause brain damage- it becomes soft and pulpy, normal brain structures are lost and won't function
• ALCOHOL AND UNBORN BABIES

  • alcohol passed via placenta to baby > leads to stillborn, miscarriages
  • baby's developing liver can't cope with alcohol so brain/liver development of baby can be badly affected