Diseases of affluenceAlso known as ‘diseases of development’

Diseases of affluence• …..are those diseases which are thought to be the result of increasing

wealth in society, in contrast to diseases of poverty which result from impoverishment (poverty).

• Activity 1. List as many diseases of affluence you can think of. (Try to link a cause to each named example).

Diseases of affluenceDisease Causes

1

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2

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3

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Examples of "Diseases of affluence"1) Obesity2) Diabetes (type 2)3) Coronary heart disease4) Cerebrovascular Disease5) Peripheral Vascular Disease6) Certain forms of Cancer7) Asthma8) Alcoholism9) Depression10) Allergies11) Range of other Psychiatric Illnesses

Activity 2. What is meant by each of these?

Examples of "Diseases of affluence"Disease Definition & Symptons of each Disease

1 Obesity

2 Diabetes (type 2)

3 Coronary heart disease

4 Cerebrovascular Disease

5 Peripheral Vascular Disease

6 Certain forms of Cancer

7 Asthma

8 Alcoholism

9 Depression

10 Allergies

11range of other Psychiatric

Illnesses

12

Changing “body shape” over time.

• These diseases are categorized as non-communicable diseases. (what does this mean?)

• Whereas the diseases of Poverty tend to be largely communicable either through infection, inadequate safety, environmental health issues, or poor hygiene.

Activity 4. List all the factors you can think of that may cause the diseases of affluence.

Characteristics of "Diseases of affluence"

What do you think the “Diseases of Poverty” are?

The “diseases of poverty” include; AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia, measles, malnutritional diseases, dysentery, typhoid, cholera, diarrhoeal diseases.

In reality, both groups of disease co-exist in any one society.

Factors affecting or causing the "Diseases of affluence"• Less strenuous physical exercise, often through increased car use.• Easy accessibility in society to large amounts of low-cost food (relative to the

much lower calorific food availability in a subsistence economy).• More food generally, with much less physical exertion expended to obtain a

moderate amount of food.• More high fat & high sugar foods in the diet are common in the developed (& now

developing) economies of the 21st century.• More foods which are processed, cooked & commercially provided (rather than

seasonal, fresh foods prepared locally at time of eating).• Increased leisure time• Prolonged periods of inactivity• Greater use of alcohol & Tobacco• Longer Life Expectancy. Activity 5.Explain how these can cause

disease?

What is cardiovascular disease? What causes cardiovascular disease?http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/257484.php

Cardiovascular disease• Read the article / web page (web address at bottom right of page) &

summarise the main findings.• This can take the form of a Mind map.

The cardiovascular system, also called the circulatory system, is the system that moves blood throughout the human body.

Cardiovascular diseases include illnesses that involve the blood vessels (veins, arteries and capillaries) or the heart, or both.

Nutrition & ExerciseReasons why people are less physically active.• Sectoral or structural changes in the types of jobs people do.• The change ( from more active ‘Primary’ & ‘Secondary’ type jobs to less active

‘Tertiary’ & Qauternary’ type jobs. • People in Tertiary jobs tend to be ‘desk bound’ and commute long distance by

car or public transport, rather than walk or cycle.• Longer working hours & greater commting (travel) time mean less tme to cook

healthy food (& far more likel to eat ‘fast’ ‘convenience’ foods.• Less movement sets people up for obesity, high blood pressure & general poor

fitness.• Obesity in particular increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes & some kinds

of Cancer.A lack of physical activity is one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide.A sedentary lifestyle is a type of lifestyle with no or irregular physical activity. A person who lives a sedentary lifestyle may colloquially be known as a couch potato.

Medical Advances.Factors making people more susceptible to diseases of affluence.• Less exposure to pathogens & agents of infection from infancy, & a

greater reliance on drugs & anti-biotics (The medicalisation of society) leave people with lower natural immunity than would otherwise be the case.

• Longer lifespans increase the rate of ‘old-age’ diseases.• The conditions are ideal for the development of allergies, auto-immune

diseases & asthma.

Social Factors.• More ‘stress’, longer working hours, & weakened social bonds

(resulting from living alone, less leisure time & more car time) make alcohol & smoking a far more common habit, that may border on substance abuse.

• Depression & psychiatric disorder are diagnosed more often.

“Stress” - a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances."he's obviously under a lot of stress"

“Depression” - severe, typically prolonged, feelings of despondency and dejection."self-doubt creeps in and that swiftly turns to depression"

psychiatric disorder, is a mental or behavioral pattern or anomaly that causes either suffering or an impaired ability to function in ordinary life. 

Public Health & Sociological issues.• Traditionally “diseases of affluence” have been more prevalent

(common) in MEDCs.• But… in the past decade, nearly all these diseases are growing fastest

in developing countries & NICs like China & India.• In many developed countries, the incidence of diseases such as

obesity, diabetes, heart disease & some cancers are ironically higher among the poorest sections of society.

• ‘Fast’ & ‘processed’ food is abundant & cheap, but of such poor quality as to have minimal nutritional value.

Death by Disease: China’s Top Killershttp://news.echinacities.com/detail/6456-Death-by-Disease-Chinas-Top-Killers

Leading causes of death in the USA.

Activity 3. Which ones would be considered to be “Diseases of affluence”?