Many are unaware that noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which cannot be transmitted from person to person, stand as the leading causes of death worldwide. These chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, account for 41 million deaths each year, which is 74% of all deaths worldwide. A significant number of these, especially those that occur before the age of 70, could potentially be prevented or delayed through changes in lifestyle and diet. In fact, the World Health Organization emphasizes the reduction of major risk factors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, and harmful use of alcohol as key strategies to prevent NCDs (World Health Organization (WHO)) (World Health Organization (WHO)).
Lifestyle choices have a substantial impact on the prevalence and mortality associated with NCDs. Unhealthy behaviors, like smoking, insufficient physical activity, poor dietary choices, and excessive sitting time, independently increase the risk of mortality in patients with NCDs. This applies to health span as well as our lifespan because these NCDs can have a significant impact on the quality of life in one’s final years. The combined effect of these factors shows a clear linear trend where an increase in the number of high-risk lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking, lack of exercise, poor dietary choices) is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (BioMed Central). It really is that simple!
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