The effect of lifestyle on some non-communicable diseases

Students should be able to:

• discuss the human and financial cost of these non- communicable diseases to an individual, a local community, a nation or globally
• explain the effect of lifestyle factors including diet, alcohol and smoking on the incidence of non-communicable diseases at local, national and global levels.

WS 1.4

Risk factors are linked to an increased rate of a disease.

They can be:

• aspects of a person’s lifestyle
• substances in the person’s body or environment.

A causal mechanism has been proven for some risk factors, but not in others.

• The effects of diet, smoking and exercise on cardiovascular disease.
• Obesity as a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.
• The effect of alcohol on the liver and brain function.
• The effect of smoking on lung disease and lung cancer.
• The effects of smoking and alcohol on unborn babies.
• Carcinogens, including ionising radiation, as risk factors in cancer.

Many diseases are caused by the interaction of a number of factors.