Chronic diseases are one of the leading causes of illness and death in the world. Take cancer, for example, it claims nearly 10 million lives every year.
Fortunately, some conditions are preventable. For instance, you can lower your risk of heart disease by staying at a healthy weight.
Curious to know what some of the top health issues are? If so, you’re on the right page.
We’ll be going over everything that you need to know in this post. Keep reading to learn more!
5 of the Top Health Issues in the World
Some diseases are more common than others. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Obesity
Obesity is a disease in which an individual carries an excess amount of body fat. More specifically, it’s defined as having a BMI of 30 or more.
Not only does it put strains on the bones, but it can also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, arthritis, stroke, and more.
The good news is that it’s preventable with healthy lifestyle choices (e.g. regular exercise, healthy diet).
2. Heart Disease
Heart disease is an umbrella term that covers many heart-related conditions such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart attack, and stroke. In fact, it’s the number one cause of death in the United States.
While some risk factors can’t be controlled, there are things that you can do to lower your risk (e.g. quitting smoking, losing weight if you’re overweight, exercising regularly, etc).
Visit Healthy Heart for more on heart disease.
3. Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disease that’s marked by high blood sugar levels. Generally speaking, there are two types—type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, the latter of which is more common.
Basically, it occurs when your body can’t effectively use insulin or doesn’t make enough insulin, the hormone that’s responsible for moving sugar from the blood into your cells.
4. Tobacco Use and Smoking
Cigarette smoking damages nearly every organ in the body. Not only that, but it’ll also increase your risk of lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and stroke.
On top of that, you’re more likely to develop certain immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. In the U.S. alone, it results in more than 480,000 deaths.
5. Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder that negatively affects thinking, behavior, and memory. Symptoms include trouble with speech, decreased judgment, mood changes, and trouble with familiar tasks.
While there’s no cure, there are medications that you can take to help ease symptoms. Researchers also believe that healthy lifestyle habits can prevent cognitive decline.
Taking Care Of Your Health
And there you have it—5 of the top health issues in the world. While not all of them are preventable, there are things that you can do to lower your risk.
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