OLEM EDGE GLOBAL CONCEPT: Lifestyle has much to do with your health

Every day we see people fall into sickness, encounter diverse ways of life (those healthy or disgusting), and make choices of our own lifestyle.

However, one’s lifestyle could either be a life threatening or a life transforming one.

Health is multi-factorial and complex – influenced by a number of things including our age, family history of illness, employment, education and living conditions. A variety of lifestyle or health related habits (behavioural factors) can have a major impact on a person’s health. Behavioural and social issues that impact on health (negatively) include smoking, alcohol, poor diet leading to obesity or malnutrition, lack of physical exercise, sexual behaviour and problems resulting from drug taking.

Alcohol is the most widely used mood-altering substance in the UK and consuming alcohol gives pleasure to people and improvement benefit to economies. However, when used irresponsibly it can cause immense harm to users, their families, friends and communities.

The current picture across a range of alcohol related issues include crime and disorder.

The 2011/12 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), formerly the British Crime Survey (BCS), shows that over one in three adults aged 16 to 59 years in England and Wales (36%) have used illicit drugs in their lifetime (around 12 million people). Cannabis is the drug most likely to be used by 16 to 59 year olds, with approximately one in 15 adults (7%) admitting to taking the drug in 2011/12.

However, cannabis use is falling over time after a rise between 1996 (9.5%) and 2002/3 (10.9%) to 6.9% in 2011/12. For the people who take them, illegal drugs can be a serious problem. They are responsible for between 1,300 and 1,600 deaths a year in the UK, and destroy thousands of relationships, families and careers.

Healthy weight, physical exercise

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is seen as key in preventing premature mortality and a range of health conditions. This indicator assesses a number of measures relating to healthy lifestyles, including fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as, levels of physical activity.

The increasing prevalence of obesity amongst adults and children is a major public health challenge, placing significant strain on budgets and resources. It is estimated that 8% of premature adult deaths could be reduced if the population maintained a healthy weight.

The prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) amongst the population has been on the rise in recent years and because of their highly communicable nature, it is important that people are well educated in methods of protecting themselves and others.

STIs can affect both men and women and you are at risk of getting an STI if you have sex without using a condom or femidom (actually, OLEM EDGE GLOBAL CONCEPT believes that you should have sex with your married partner only, because that is what God desires). Some STIs are asymptomatic but if left untreated could cause long term consequences including infertility.

Smoking is the primary cause of preventable mortality and premature death with an estimated 80,000 death in England. It is the single biggest preventable cause of health inequalities and increases the risk of cancer (including lung, oesophagus, bladder, liver, stomach, cervix, myeloid leukaemia, bowel and ovary), heart disease, stroke and chronic respiratory disease.

Tobacco kills more people in England than alcohol, suicide, road accidents, other accidents, diabetes and drug misuse put together and is estimated to reduce life expectancy by 16 years in the most deprived areas. The majority of secondary school pupils do not smoke but the results from the 2012 Annual Pupil survey reveal that 11% have smoked once or twice and a further 7% have smoked a few times: 38% reveal that they usually get their cigarettes from a shop or off-licence and 37% reveal that they usually get them from friends.