One hundred years ago the average life span of Americans was 47 years. Although large differences in life expectancy exist among population subgroups demographic trends suggest that more and more Americans can join the ranks of the fastest growing segment of the US population-those 85 and older if they can make it past the danger zone. The danger zone is the period during which heart disease, cancer, and stroke have their greatest impact, ages 50 through 80 for men and about 10 years later for women.In 1900, communicable or infectious diseases, diseases that can be transmitted from one person to another, were the major causes of death. Influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, smallpox, polio, diphtheria, and dysentery were often fatal and were greatly feared. Only half of the children born at the turn of the twentieth century were expected to reach their fifth birthday, compared with a 99% survival rate today. Penicillin, insulin, and the polio vaccine had not yet been discovered. Environmental conditions were horrid, clean water and safe food could not be assumed. People generally had little control over their health, and prospects for a long life were often influenced by fate and circumstance.
Clearly, good health and longevity have improved dramatically since the turn of the century. Medical science has eliminated many of the old health threats: smallpox has been eradicated, polio is rare, tuberculosis declined so sharply that its recent mild resurgence is a surprise, and diphtheria and typhoid fever are almost gone in the United States. The impact of vaccinations to prevent these dreaded diseases is hard to exaggerate. With the exception of safe water, no other modality (not even antibiotics) has had such a major impact on mortality reduction and population growth. Governmental agencies now assume responsibility for protecting health and preventing infectious diseases. Safe water and food are assumed. An abundance of modern drugs provides a pharmaceutical solution for every conceivable ache and pain. And mind-boggling advancements in medical technology have given rise to diagnostic and surgical procedures far beyond the wildest imaginations of early twentieth century physicians.
Comparisons of the causes of mortality (incidence of deaths) and morbidity (incidence of sickness) between earlier times and today paint a revealing portrait of society. Unlike the afflictions of the early 1900s and before the major health problems of today are largely caused by the way people live and are referred to as lifestyle diseases. The leading causes of death in the United States among all age groups are heart disease, cancer, and stroke, and they account for almost two thirds of all deaths. These are chronic diseases that usually progress over a long period of time, often as the result of behaviors established early in life. Automobile accidents, homicide, and suicide are the leading killers of Americans between the ages of 15 and 24 years. For young adults, 25 to 44 years old, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, accidents, cancer, heart disease, suicide, and homicide are the leading causes of death.
For too many Americans these conditions reflect the dangers of negative lifestyle choices. This is true despite the growing anxiety over exotic diseases. The current fear that some sort of strangely mutated disease will soon pose the greatest threat to life on earth comes just as the chronic diseases that do kill in huge numbers are receiving less and less attention from developed countries. In 1994 and 1995, when worldwide attention focused on the 300 deaths from transmission of the exotic Ebola virus in Zaire, 400,000 Americans died from the effects of cigarette smoking. The fear of bizarre pathogens leading to runaway deaths in the United States has been fueled primarily by fantasy rather than reality. Newspaper headlines, numerous fictional books, and movies have reinforced this mistaken impression.
Although the appearance of an unstoppable, over whelming disease is possible and the spread of new viruses in a global community is a genuine concern, the real threats to Americans are mundane and are less likely to be featured as the lead stories in the evening news. Healthy lifestyles that involve diet, physical activity, and personal health habits offer the most potential for preventing health problems or delaying them until much later in life. More specifically the following 12 steps-for-life, developed by the internationally renowned Cooper. Institute for Aerobics Research, provide the framework for promoting health and improving the quality of life by -
- Exercise regularly
- Eat more fresh vegetables and fruit, high fiber foods, and whole grains, and drink more water
- Limit animal fat, cholesterol, and sodium in the diet
- Supplement the diet with calcium and the antioxidant vitamins
- Pursue and maintain ideal body weight
- Stop illegal drug use, and abstain from or limit alcohol consumption
- Terminate smoking and use of smokeless tobacco
- Forbid excessive sun exposure, or wear a sun block
- Fasten seat belts
- Obtain good prenatal health care
- Regularly have medical checkups and perform self exams
- Immunize preschoolers and senior citizens
Research from the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (IHPDP) suggests that a similar, yet slightly different, list of health promotion practices correlates highly with health, longevity, and an improved quality of life.
These seven health practices include the following -
- Sleeping 7 to 8 hours daily
- Eating breakfast almost every day
- Never or rarely eating between meals
- Currently being at or near prescribed height adjusted weight
- Participating in regular physical activity
- Never smoking cigarettes
- Never drinking alcohol, or drinking only in moderation
In addition to the previous two lists of health promoting behaviors, many experts emphasize the need to practice safe sex habits. HIV infections are a major health problem and a leading cause of death in young people. Sexual habits can no longer be ignored. People must consider the impact of their personal health behaviors on their health, life expectancy, and quality of life.
Tags:alcohol consumption, antioxidant vitamins, health, health and longevity, health practices, health problems, Lifestyle Wellness and Fitness