Poor diets and lack of exercise are second only to smoking when it comes to preventable causes of death in the U.S., according to the World Health Organization. In its 2002 yearly report, WHO stated that "Worldwide, healthy life expectancy can be increased by 5 to 10 years if governments and individuals make combined efforts against the major health risks in each region." The combination of poor diets--consisting of too many empty calories--and a gross lack of physical activity is contributing to an increase in illness and chronic disease.
Obesity
The problem of childhood obesity in the U.S. has worsened in recent years and "between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese," according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Although the causes of obesity are complex and multifaceted, the AACAP lists behavioral and cultural factors as two of the most significant, stating that you become obese when the calories you're consuming outstrip your body's ability to burn them up. Of the behavioral and cultural factors that contribute to obesity, it's poor eating habits and sedentary living that influence your weight gain most.
Hypertension
According to a study published by The Lancet, it's estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide will suffer from chronically elevated blood pressure--also known as hypertension--by the year 2025. There are two types of hypertension: primary and secondary. Primary hypertension means that no known medical cause is contributing to your elevated blood pressure and represents the vast majority of existing cases of hypertension. Secondary hypertension indicates that another medical condition is causing the sustained rise in your blood pressure. According to the Mayo Clinic, "primary hypertension has no clear cause and is thought to be linked to genetics, poor diet, lack of exercise and obesity."
Diabetes
Diabetes is not inherited, but your tendency to develop diabetes is hereditary, according to the American Diabetes Association. The tendency alone won't cause diabetes though; there needs to be an environmental or lifestyle trigger that sets your disease process in motion. The ADA states that two of the most important contributing factors to the development of diabetes are a poor diet and lack of exercise. Controlling your body weight, triglycerides and blood pressure, and boosting your good cholesterol are also important ways to reduce your risk of developing diabetes.
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