NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Introduction

Diseases distrupt the normal functioning of the body. They are manifested by a characteristic set of signs and symptoms.

Diseases can be prevented by early detection, treatment, monitoring and management.

 

Meaning of Non-communicable Diseases

Non-communicable diseases also known as chronic diseases are diseases that are not infectious. This means that they are diseases that cannot be transferred or transmitted from one person to another. There are four main categories of non-communicable diseases:

1. Cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
2. Cancers e.g. cervical cancer and prostate cancer.
3. Respiratory diseases such as asthma.
4. Diabetes.

Other examples of non-communicable diseases are sickle cell, obesity, anaemia, kwashiorkor, marasmus, ricket, acne and dental caries.

 

Nature of Common Non-communicable Diseases

Sickle Cell

Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder inherited from both parents that turns normal round red blood cells into misshaped or abnormal cells that look like the crescent. The abnormal red blood cells are called sickle cell haemoglobins.

 

A) Nature of Sickle Cell

Sickle cell is a disease that cannot be totally treated. It can only be prevented and managed. It can cause health problems such as pain, infections and anaemia although many people are able to have a quality life by learning to manage the disease.

A child with sickle cell experiences painful attacks known as crises. This occurs when the blood vessels are blocked by the sickle cell haemoglobin which in turn enlarges the liver and spleen. This event usually causes pain in the hands, feet, belly, back and chest, making the victim to be very weak. This pain may last for hours or days.

 

B) Cause of Sickle Cell

The cause of sickle cell is the inheritance of two defective haemoglobin S genes, one from each parent. If a child inherits these defective genes, he/she will have sickle cell disease but if he inherits one defective gene, he will have the sickle cell traits and may not experience crises.

 

C) Prevention of Sickle Cell

1. People should be counselled to go for blood tests before marriage.
2. People who are at a risk of having a child with sickle cell disease and are planning to have children should consider genetic counselling.
3. A man with the defective gene (haemoglobin S) should not marry a woman with the same defective gene and vice versa. However, someone with haemoglobin AA can marry a person with haemoglobin SS.

 

Obesity

Obesity is the abnormal increase in body fat that may have negative effects on the body. It is a condition of being very fat or overweight due to the excessive consumption of food and drinks or other factors such as the ‘genetic factor’.

 

A) Nature of Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has been accumulated, leading to overweight which puts pressure on the knees, hips, joints and other parts of the body. It can also lead to pains at the joints and waist, rise in blood pressure and may reduce life expectancy.

 

B) Causes of Obesity

The causes of obesity include the following.

1. Diets rich in fat. i.e. excessive consumption of fatty foods.
2. Sedentary lifestyle such as being engaged in jobs that do not encourage moving around. Television viewing is also a risk factor of obesity.
3. Heredity, that is, a person can inherit the condition.
4. Illnesses such as eating disorder and growth hormone deficiency.

 

C) Prevention of Obesity

1. Regular exercise.
2. Encouraging children to eat only when they are hungry.
3. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables.
4. Parents should be good role models to their children by eating healthily and being physically active.
5. Forming the habit of going for routine medical examination.

 

Asthma

Asthma is an allergic reaction due to the inhalation of offensive particles, smells, dust and other substances. It is a condition that affects a person’s breathing.

 

A) Nature of Asthma

The inhalation of substances in the air interferes with the normal breathing of asthmatic patients. For most people, breathing is easy. We breathe in through the nose or mouth and the air goes into the lungs. For people with asthma, breathing can be a lot more difficult because their airways are very sensitive.

 

B) Causes of Asthma

1. Environmental factors such as air pollution.
2. Smoking.
3. Genetic or hereditary factors.
4. Obesity.
5. Exposure to various substances that could trigger the condition.
6. A pregnant mother who smokes may infect the foetus.

Other factors that could trigger asthma attack are: airborne allergens, physical activity (exercise-induced asthma), cold and stuffy air, strong emotions and stress, preservatives added to some types of food and beverage, and menstrual cycle in some women.

 

C) Prevention of Asthma

Asthma can be prevented by:

1. Avoiding smoking.
2. Living in a well ventilated environment.
3. Avoid inhaling substances that trigger asthma.
4. Going for routine medical checkup.

 

Anaemia

Anaemia is a condition that develops when the blood does not contain enough healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin.

 

A) Nature of Anaemia

The most common type of anaemia is the iron deficiency anaemia. It is a decrease in number of red blood cells or reduction in the normal quantity of haemoglobin in the blood. This may be due to a deficiency in diets, especially, lack of sufficient iron and vitamins in diet.

 

B) Causes of Anaemia

1. Impaired production of red blood cells.
2. Increase in the destruction of red blood cells due to a disease such as sickle cell anaemia and reaction to blood transfusion.
3. Blood loss due to surgery, fibroid or menstruation in women.
4. Too much fluid in the body system due to water retention.

 

C) Prevention of Anaemia

1. Eat diet rich in iron such as red meat, green leafy vegetables, shrimps, oysters and beans.
2. Take enough rest and sleep.
3. Avoid situations that will lead to excessive loss of blood.
4. Eat adequate and balanced diet.
5. Exercise regularly.
6. Avoid self medication.
7. Go for routine medical checkups.

 

Kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor is a disease that occurs – when there is not enough protein in the diet. It commonly affects children especially below the age of five.

 

A) Nature of Kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor is a form of malnutrition which occurs when there is less protein and more carbohydrate in the diet. It is common in areas where there is famine, limited food supply and low level of education. The disease is most common among poor countries. Children suffering from kwashiorkor have diarrhoea, protruding belly with tiny limbs and flat buttocks. Other signs of kwashiorkor are rashes, infections due to low immunity and swelling.

 

B) Causes of Kwashiorkor

The main cause of kwashiorkor is the lack of protein in a diet. Other causes are:

1. Ignorance i.e not having enough knowledge about nutrition.
2. Carelessness.

 

C) Prevention of Kwashiorkor

1. Eat foods rich in all nutrients especially, protein.
2. Take adequate sleep and rest.
3. Drink plenty of water.

 

Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where an individual has higher than normal blood sugar levels. The body is not able to use up the glucose in the body. It is also a condition that shows that enough insulin can no longer be produced by the pancreas. There are two types of diabetes namely: Type I and Type II or gestational diabetes.

 

A) Nature of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a hereditary or development disease caused by the improper functioning of the pancreas which secretes a hormone called insulin. This leads to a rise in the sugar level in the body.

 

B) Causes of Diabetes mellitus

1. Heredity.
2. Physical inactivity.
3. Overweight or obesity.
4. Unhealthy diet.

 

C) Prevention of Diabetes

1. Eating adequate and balanced diet.
2. Participation in regular exercise.
3. Going for routine medical examination.
4. Cutting down on high carbohydrate diet.

 

Cancer

Cancer is a condition in which the cells of the body have an abnormal continuous or uncontrolled growth. It causes a lot of pain and discomfort for the patients.

 

Causes of Cancer

Cancer can be caused by any of the following:

1. Uncontrolled exposure to ultraviolet rays such as x-ray and the sun.
2. Inhalation of toxic substances, fumes, cigarette smoke and intake of food additives and preservatives that can cause cancer.
3. Exposure of the body to dangerous chemicals.

There are different types of cancer.

These are:

1. Skin cancer.
2. Lung cancer.
3. Breast cancer.
4. Cervical cancer.
5. Prostate cancer
6. Kidney cancer.

 

B) Preventive Measures for Cancer

Cancer is a deadly disease and so must be prevented by all means. The following can be done to prevent cancer.

1. Avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol.
2. Avoiding smoking and inhalation of smoke such as cigarette smoke and fumes.
3. Controlling overweight or obesity.
4. Engaging in regular physical exercises.
5. Eating diets rich in fruits and vegetables.
6. Controlling and treating infections promptly.
7. Avoiding self medication and over-the-counter drugs.
8. Going for regular medical examination.
9. Reducing the intake of processed foods.
10. Controlling exposure to sun and ultraviolet light.

 

Hypertension

Hypertension is an abnormal rise in blood pressure and a condition in which the arteries continuously make the blood pressure to go up. Every time the human heart beats, it pumps blood to the whole body through the arteries. The blood pressure can go up when one is excited and worried but would also go down if one is resting. If the blood pressure can go up when one is excited and worried but would also go down if one is resting. If the blood pressure does not go down during rest, then the individual could be said to be hypertensive. Hypertension makes the heart to work abnormally, which may affect the vessels and the kidneys. Continuous rise in blood pressure can lead to stroke.

 

A) Causes of Hypertension

The common causes of hypertension are:

1. Smoking.
2. Overweight/ obesity.
3. Lack of physical activity.
4. Diabetes.
5. High level of salt intake.
6. Sedentary lifestyle.
7. Stress.
8. Ageing.
9. Insufficient calcium.
10. Vitamin D deficiency.
11. Chronic kidney disease.
12. High level of alcohol.
13. Genetic factors.
14. Medications such as birth control pills.

 

B) Prevention of Hypertension

1. Adjustment of lifestyle so that proper diet and exercise are the most important.
2. Routine medical checkups.
3. Having adequate rest and sleep.
4. Avoidance of undue stress.

 

Rickets

Rickets is a disease that affects bone development in children. It causes the bone to become weak and soft and can lead to bow or curved bones. It is caused by lack of vitamin D and abnormal metabolism of calcium in the bone.

 

A) Nature of Rickets

Rickets is a condition caused by lack of vitamin D which helps in the absorption of calcium by the body. Other minerals like phosphorous also help in the development of bone so that its deficiency can also lead to rickets. Rickets affects both children and adults. The same condition in adults is known as osteomalacia.

 

B) Causes of Rickets

1. Lack of vitamin D and calcium.
2. Inadequate minerals in diet.
3. Inadequate exposure to sunlight.

 

C) Prevention of Rickets

1. Adequate intake of foods rich in vitamin D and calcium. These can be obtained from bread, soybean, green leafy vegetables, margarine, egg, oily fish and milk.
2. Enough vitamin D can also be obtained from sunlight. However, exposing children to sunlight should be moderate and should be short because of the sensitive nature of their skin.
3. Taking food supplements.