Leading a Healthy Life
Define health.
• What does it mean to you?
Health in the Past
• Historically, what used to be the most
common causes of death?
• Think infectious diseases…
• In the 1800’s and early 1900’s the
leading causes of death were such
diseases caused by pathogens, such as
bacteria - diseases that can be passed
from one person to another. They were
a constant threat.
• Examples?
INFECTIOUS DISEASES =
• Polio
• Tuberculosis
• Pneumonia
• Influenza (flu)
• That’s why people thought
being healthy as being free
from disease.
Health Today
• Currently, what are the most common
causes of illness or death?
• Think lifestyle…
• Over the years, medical advances, better
living conditions and a focus on preventative
medicine have helped bring infectious
diseases of the past under control. Today
those diseases of the past can be prevented
and/or cured. Most of the health problems
in the U.S. are related to the way we live.
They are diseases influenced by the choices
we make that affect our health.
• What are they?
•
Turn to your neighbor and share.
Lifestyle Diseases
• Diabetes (Type 2)
• Heart Disease (some types)
• Cancer (some types)
Health Risk Factors
• A risk factor is ANYTHING that increases the
likelihood of injury, disease or other health
problems. Examples include:
–
–
–
–
–
–
History of heart disease in the family
A high-fat diet
Stress
Being overweight
Smoking
Lack of exercise
**Notice that some of these CAN BE
CONTROLLED BY BEHAVIOR.
Controllable Risk Factors
• Give some examples of a positive
behavior that can decrease the risk of
disease.
Uncontrollable Risk Factors
•
•
•
•
Age
Race
Gender
Heredity
Things we cannot control, but can
impact our overall health.
•
•
We can protect our health by focusing
on controllable risk factors, which we
can change through our behavior.
The leading causes of death for
people your age in the US are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Motor vehicle accidents
Homicide
Suicide
Other accidents
These four causes of death make up
almost 3/4 of all teen deaths.
What behaviors can you focus
on at this point in your life?
• Your health behaviors TODAY affect not
only your health today, but also your
future health.
Leading causes of Death for
All Ages
30% Heart disease
23% Cancer
7% Strokes, cerebrovascular disease
5% Respiratory disease
35% Other causes
Ideas of what these “others” might be?
6 Health Risk Behaviors
• The following behaviors cause the
MOST serious health problems for
individuals. Turn to your neighbor.
What might they be?
Sedentary Lifestyle
• Not taking part in physical activity on a
regular basis. Can lead to obesity, heart
disease, diabetes…
Alcohol & other drug use
• Can cause liver disease, certain types
of cancer, heart disease, and brain
damage. Are also major factors in car
accidents, physical fights, depression,
suicide and mental disorders. They are
also factors in the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases.
Sexual Activity
• Outside of a mutually exclusive,
committed relationship, such as
marriage, puts people at risk for health
problems such as STD’s, HIV infection,
unplanned pregnancy…
What else?
Behaviors that cause injuries
• What do you think these might be?
• Think back to the most common causes
of death for teens…
•
•
•
•
Not wearing a seatbelt or helmet.
Carrying a weapon
Use of substances
And?
Tobacco Use
• Smoking is the single leading preventable
cause of death in the US.
• Smoking is a controllable risk factor for heart
disease, cancer and respiratory disease.
• The choice to smoke often occurs in high
school or before.
• Smoking as a teen greatly increases the risk
for the 3 leading causes of death.
Poor Eating Habits
• Our eating habits can either increase or
decrease our risk for certain diseases.
• Give one example of each:
• Eating 5-7 servings of fresh fruit/veges
can lower our chances of cancer,
diabetes.
• Eating a high fat diet increases our risk
of heart disease, obesity, cancer,
diabetes…
Health is…
• Primarily about choices. Every day we
have the opportunity to increase our
health and longevity or decrease it.
Why do we often times make choices
that do not benefit our long-term health?