Lesson One - Risk Factors
Completion requirements
Risk Factors
Age of Onset
In the Introduction to Unit 1, the top ten causes of death in Canada were presented to you. After reading about the risk factors for these conditions, can you make any connections between lifestyle and common causes of death? Did you notice how many conditions had lifestyle related risk factors? There is a correlation between the age at which people are first diagnosed with the conditions that have lifestyle risk factors and the lifestyle risk factors themselves.
What is the age at which some of the conditions talked about in the previous unit occur?
The average age for a first heart attack is 65. However, as many as 4–10% of all heart attacks happen before the patient is 45 years old. As was discussed in the last unit, a heart attack could be likened to the climax of heart disease.
If you remember from your language arts class, you will remember that the climax of a story happens after a number of building events. Studies have shown that heart disease can start as early as 18 years old with a diagnosis of hypertension (exposition). The diagnosis of hypertension and heart disease are filled with hardening of the arteries and plaque build up (rising action). As these factors intensify, the patient is more likely to have a heart attack (climax) unless changes are made to reverse these building events.
If you remember from your language arts class, you will remember that the climax of a story happens after a number of building events. Studies have shown that heart disease can start as early as 18 years old with a diagnosis of hypertension (exposition). The diagnosis of hypertension and heart disease are filled with hardening of the arteries and plaque build up (rising action). As these factors intensify, the patient is more likely to have a heart attack (climax) unless changes are made to reverse these building events.
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In the past, Type 2 diabetes was known as adult-onset diabetes because it was rarely diagnosed in children. However, it is becoming increasingly more common for young adults and children to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Between 2011 and 2012, the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth conducted an international study which concluded that 5,300 youth between the ages of 10–19 were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. With that rate of increasing diagnoses, a 2012 study published in the ADA journal, Diabetes Care, predicted that the number of youth under the age of 20 diagnosed with Type 2 could increase by 49 percent by 2050. Other studies suggest that the number of youth under 20 with Type 2 diabetes could quadruple.
Between 2011 and 2012, the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth conducted an international study which concluded that 5,300 youth between the ages of 10–19 were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. With that rate of increasing diagnoses, a 2012 study published in the ADA journal, Diabetes Care, predicted that the number of youth under the age of 20 diagnosed with Type 2 could increase by 49 percent by 2050. Other studies suggest that the number of youth under 20 with Type 2 diabetes could quadruple.
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Repetitive motion injuries, such as “texting thumb”, can happen at a young age. The 3339 texts sent by the average teenager each month and the 12 hours a week of video games played by 77% of youth between 12–15 years old are good examples of
repetitive motion. Anyone, at any age, can get a repetitive motion injury.
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder
Recall that COPD is a result of damage to the lungs over a period of time. This means that COPD is usually diagnosed in older adults. Occasionally, a middle-aged adult will be diagnosed with COPD. It is rare for younger adults to be diagnosed with COPD.
Recall that COPD is a result of damage to the lungs over a period of time. This means that COPD is usually diagnosed in older adults. Occasionally, a middle-aged adult will be diagnosed with COPD. It is rare for younger adults to be diagnosed with COPD.
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In 1993–1994, the average age at which patients had a stroke was just over 71 years old. However, the number of strokes in patients between the ages of 20 and 54 has significantly increased. As strokes in older patients are more likely to be
fatal, it is younger patients that are more likely to experience the chronic effects of stroke talked about in the previous unit.
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Shared Lifestyle Risk Factors
Recall the various risk factors discussed in the last unit. Did you notice that some lifestyle risk factors were mentioned for several conditions? Did you notice the number of conditions for which lifestyle risk factors were predominant on the list?
Some of the lifestyle risk factors that were found on a number of lists, in no particular order, are:
- smoking
- stress
- previous injury
- excessive drinking
- repetitive motion, over-use of joint
- unsafe sexual practices
- improper hygiene
- being sedentary
- poor diet