Risk Factors For Disease Flashcards, test questions and answers
Discover flashcards, test exam answers, and assignments to help you learn more about Risk Factors For Disease and other subjects. Don’t miss the chance to use them for more effective college education. Use our database of questions and answers on Risk Factors For Disease and get quick solutions for your test.
What is Risk Factors For Disease?
Risk factors for disease are factors that increase the chances of a person developing a particular disease or health condition. Some risk factors, like age and gender, cannot be changed. Other risk factors, such as smoking or lack of exercise, can be changed or modified to reduce the chances of developing a disease. It is important to know what risks may exist and how one can modify their lifestyle to reduce those risks. One of the most common risk factors for diseases is age. As people get older, their bodies become more vulnerable to certain illnesses and conditions due to changes in bodily processes such as metabolism and cell production. Additionally, people’s immune systems may become weaker with age, making them more prone to infections and other diseases. Gender also plays a role in an individual’s propensity for certain diseases; some diseases are more likely among males than females while others are more prevalent among females than males. For example, heart disease is usually more common among men while breast cancer is usually more common among women. Smoking is another major risk factor for many diseases including various types of cancer and heart disease; smoking increases the chances of developing these conditions significantly compared with non-smokers. Quitting smoking can reduce this risk dramatically over time as long as it has been done for at least five years prior to diagnosis of any related illness or condition. Exercise is also a major factor in reducing one’s overall risk for certain illnesses; regular physical activity helps strengthen the body’s immune system and makes it less susceptible to infection or other illnesses caused by weakened immunity due to lack of exercise or physical activity. Diet also plays an important role in reducing one’s overall risk; eating healthy foods full of nutrients will help maintain good health as well as prevent many chronic illnesses caused by poor nutrition habits over time such as diabetes or obesity-related issues like high blood pressure or heart problems. Finally, genetics play a significant role in determining one’s overall health outcomes since genetic predisposition towards specific illnesses can greatly increase an individual’s chance at developing them compared with someone who does not have the same genes associated with that particular illness or condition. However , having certain genetic mutations does not mean that someone will automatically develop that condition environmental , lifestyle , dietary , infectious agents , etc. all still play important roles in whether an individual will eventually develop said illness.