In recent years, India has seen a surge in the diagnosis of lifestyle diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. This trend is primarily due to rapid urbanisation, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, and stress. With lifestyle disorders on the rise, it is essential to understand the causes, prevention, and how health insurance can protect you from the steep financial expenses associated with these conditions.
What are lifestyle diseases?
Lifestyle diseases refer to health conditions that are mainly caused by unhealthy lifestyle choices. These conditions are widely preventable and manageable with lifestyle modifications and timely medical intervention. You can safeguard yourself from unforeseen medical expenses by purchasing the best health insurance policies online.
Lifestyle diseases in India
India has the highest number of people suffering from diabetes worldwide, with an estimated 77 million people diagnosed with the condition. The country also has a high prevalence of obesity. The rise in lifestyle disorders is in part due to the shift from traditional lifestyles to more modern ones.
Which are the most common lifestyle diseases?
The most common lifestyle diseases in India include:
Type 2 diabetes: It is a metabolic disorder characterised by high blood sugar levels. Over time, diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, etc.
Hypertension: Also known as high blood pressure, this condition can cause damage to the arteries and lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage.
Obesity: Being overweight can lead to other lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
High cholesterol: When the levels of cholesterol in the blood are excessive, it can lead to blockages in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Heart disease: A group of conditions that affect the heart, including hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, can increase the risk of heart disease.
- Cancer: Unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and poor diet can increase the risk of cancer.
- Chronic respiratory diseases: Diseases, such as asthma and COPD, are long-term conditions that affect the lungs. These diseases can lead to difficulty in breathing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
Causes of lifestyle diseases
Poor diet: Unhealthy diet consumption is a significant contributor to lifestyle diseases. Consuming excessive amounts of saturated and trans-fat, sodium, and sugar can lead to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension.
Physical inactivity: Lack of physical activity can lead to weight gain, resulting in conditions such as obesity and other heart diseases.
Smoking and alcohol consumption: Both contribute to chronic diseases, such as lung cancer, heart disease, liver damage, and high blood pressure.
Stress: Chronic stress leads to an increase in cortisol production, which affects the body's metabolism, leading to weight gain and related diseases.
Age: The ageing process is unavoidable, and it causes a decline in healthy living.
Genetics: Some diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers are inherited and cannot be prevented by healthy lifestyle habits alone.
Significance of health insurance for lifestyle diseases
In India, lifestyle diseases require extensive medical care, which can be expensive and beyond the reach of most people. Health insurance can protect you from the financial burden of lifestyle diseases and provide access to the best healthcare facilities without worrying about the cost.
It can cover the costs of hospitalisation, surgeries, diagnostics, and medication. With the right insurance policy, you can ensure timely medical intervention and minimise the risk of complications from lifestyle diseases.
Lifestyle diseases in India are on the rise, but the good news is that they are preventable and manageable with lifestyle modifications and timely medical intervention. Lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, regular exercise, managing stress, and quitting smoking can significantly lower the risk of lifestyle disorders.
Health insurance can help protect against the steep financial expenses associated with lifestyle diseases and provide timely medical support through medical expenses reimbursement to manage the condition.
