It is estimated that over 61 per cent of all deaths in India are due to lifestyle or non-communicable diseases, an alarming statistics that concerns our population.
Lifestyle diseases like cardiovascular, diabetes, hypertension, asthma and respiratory as well as cancers are on the rise. Some of these diseases have emerged as more fatal than hereditary and infectious diseases
It is now come to light that although India might be a third world country based on socio-economic development parameters, in terms of our lifestyle and health, we have the same morbidity profile of a first world nation.
Let’s take a look at some common lifestyle disease and WHO stats for the same:
- Diabetes: India has the highest number of type 2 diabetics at 50.8 million according to the World Health Organization. This number is increasing as children are also getting afflicted. Main reason for this in adults due to poor eating habits and bad lifestyle choices.
- Heart Disease Treatment: Twenty-five million suffer from cardiovascular diseases which amount to 60% of the global figure. Main cause of this is Arteriosclerosis that occurs when the arterial blood vessel walls thicken and lose elasticity. This causes blood circulation disorders, chest pain, and heart attacks. Arteriosclerosis is also linked to obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.
- High blood pressure: 100 million Indians suffer from high blood pressure. Some reasons for high blood pressure are stress, obesity, genetic factors and unhealthy eating habits. High blood pressure, if not taken care of in time with proper treatment, can lead to a stroke.
- Obesity: Unhealthy eating habits, stressful lifestyle, and reduced physical activity translate to obesity and is on the rise in adults and children.
- Cancer: India has over two million registered cancer patients. This lifestyle disease is mainly caused by smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, stress leading to lowered immunity and therefore the body’s inability to fight viruses and other infections and finally radiation from the sun.
- Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis is a group of liver disorders. The liver can be affected by heavy alcohol consumption and chronic hepatitis. This has become a common lifestyle disease as many people consume alcohol on a daily basis to deal with stress.
- Mental health: More than 10 per cent of the country’s population over the age of 18 suffers from various kinds of mental illnesses.
- Hormonal imbalance: Thyroid dysfunction is very common such as hypothyroidism. Women have ovarian diseases such as polycystic ovarian disorders, fibroids and menstrual disorders are very prevalent.
- Food allergies: It is suggested that 25-40 million people in India could be suffering from food allergies.
- Ear related diseases: due to continuous use of headphones and constant auditory stimulus with mobile phones can lead to a condition called swimmers ear.
- Respiratory diseases: India had an estimated 22.2 million chronic COPD patients and around 35 million chronic asthma patients.
