Lifestyle and non-communicable disease in Adults

As widely publicized by the World Health Organization (WHO) there are no longer any doubts that regular physical exercise, good nutrition, and a happy existence are important contributors to ongoing physical and psychological well-being in adults.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that physical inactivity alone causes 2 million deaths per year globally as a result of 60% of adults not engaging in sufficient physical activity. The research into risk factors for cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and ischaemic stroke), non-insulin-dependent (Type 2) diabetes, certain cancers (colon, breast and other sites) provides unequivocal evidence for a causal association between physical activity and the disease. Furthermore, there are plausible mechanisms to explain the causes.

WHO continues to alert people as to the risks they experience by leading sedentary existences, now ranking inactivity alongside poor nutrition and smoking as our greatest modifiable threats to health.

Lifestyle associated problems in Children - an Epidemic?

Along with poor nutrition and psychological stress, a lack of physical activity in our children's lifestyle may contribute to the development of many non-communicable diseases expressed in later life. Whilst we are out to investigate this very issue, our feelings about the lack of movement in many children's lives is so strong that we refer to a possible Physical Activity Deprivation Syndrome (PADS).

One of the outwardly obvious effects of inadequate physical activity and poor nutritional choices is the climbing incidence of overweight and obesity in our youngsters, a situation that has been referred to as of epidemic proportions.