Factors that spike the risk of lifestyle diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that chronic lifestyle diseases will account for 70 percent of global deaths by 2030. Women worldwide face unique health concerns due to unhealthy ways of living. Most women are hardwired to look after families first without paying attention to their own health and in fact, neglecting it on most occasions. And this is further compounded if they are working women trying to balance home and work. Balancing home and work is a difficult process and requires considerable skill. This may lead to irregular food habits, skipping meals, lack of sleep, stress, lack of physical activity, addictions, and poor relationships—all of which contribute to the development of lifestyle diseases.

Lifestyle diseases share risk factors similar to prolonged exposure to three modifiable lifestyle behaviors - smoking, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity and result in the development of chronic diseases, specifically heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and some types of cancer.

Major lifestyle diseases in women

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Metabolic syndrome
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

Ways to keep lifestyle diseases at bay

• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Regularly exercising
• Eating a healthy diet
• Not smoking reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases by 80 percent.

Factors that spike the risk of lifestyle diseases

Diabetes

Diabetes doubles the risk of a second heart attack and heart failure in women who have already had a heart attack. Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease in women more than it does in men with risk factors like obesity, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

Metabolic syndrome

Women who have metabolic syndrome, which includes a large waist, high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, low HDL cholesterol, and high triglycerides, are more likely to develop heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Smoking

Compared to men, women who smoke are more likely to experience a heart attack. Cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases are all influenced by persistent, low-grade inflammation.

Stress

Stress, lack of sleep, and lack of physical activity contribute to weight gain. Stress also contributes to an increase in the levels of the hormone cortisol, which leads to inflammation in the body. Cortisol increases hunger and cravings, leading to weight gain. This may lead to pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, hormonal problems, and finally PCOS.

Unhealthy eating habits

Unhealthy meal patterns and irregular meal timings lead to hidden hunger, which means loss of micronutrients leading to deficiencies and other disorders.

Age

Heart disease is the leading cause of preventable death among women. Women are at a high risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes as early as 35 years of age.

Menopause

Women have greater overall cholesterol levels than males do after menopause. Triglyceride levels are a significant factor. Before menopause, a woman’s own estrogen helps protect her from lifestyle diseases, especially heart disease, by increasing HDL (good) cholesterol and decreasing LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Ways to avoid lifestyle diseases?

Adopting healthy behaviors, improving physical activity, stopping tobacco, a high-fiber, low-fat diet to control body weight, good sleeping habits, avoiding excessive alcohol, coping with stress, and seeking support as needed, reduce the risk of death due to lifestyle diseases.