Understanding Non-Communicable Diseases and Risk Factors
You make countless choices every day that directly impact your future health - from what you eat for breakfast to how much time you spend on your phone instead of being active. Non-communicable diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes don't spread through contact, but they're influenced by the decisions you make right now.
Risk factors fall into two main categories that determine your chances of developing these diseases. Some factors you can't control, like your age, gender, or family history - these are called non-modifiable risk factors. However, the good news is that many risk factors are completely within your power to change.
Lifestyle choices represent the modifiable risk factors you control every single day. Smoking cigarettes, eating loads of sugary and fatty foods, living a sedentary lifestyle, drinking alcohol regularly, and getting poor sleep all significantly increase your disease risk. Even activities like using sunbeds or eating excessive red meat can impact your health.
Remember: Small changes in your daily habits can dramatically reduce your risk of serious diseases later in life - you have more control over your health than you might think!