 Determinants of Health

Choleste rol Glucose Regulati on Genetics Birth Weight Body Weight Blood Pressure

- Body weight can have many implications on health as it is a risk factor for numerous conditions and diseases - Some of these include: - High blood pressure - Cardiovascular disease - Diabetes - Respiratory problems - Social exclusion - Because of this, body weight accounts for variations in health status in individuals and population groups

- BMI (body mass index) is used to determine whether a person is under or overweight, in a healthy weight range or obese - It is calculated by dividing weight in kg by height in m2 - A BMI score between 26 and 30 is considered overweight, while a score of 30 or over is obese - There are some downfalls to relying on BMI measurements such as: - BMI does not take into consideration body type such as muscle mass - Pregnancy - Fat distribution (waist circumference is an indication of health risks)

- As blood pumps through the body it creates pressure in the blood vessels as it passes - Blood pressure gives an indication of how hard the heart has to work to push blood through the arteries, capillaries and veins. It also provides an indication of how healthy the heart is. - Blood pressure has two readings, an upper and a lower measure written as a fraction - Systolic blood pressure (upper) is a measure of the pressure when the heart pumps blood (oxygenated) into the aorta and out through the arteries to the body. - Diastolic blood pressure (lower) is a measure of the pressure of the blood in the arteries as the heart relaxes and fills with blood.

- A person with high blood pressure has hypertension - Hypertension is a result of the blood being unable to flow freely through the blood vessels. - Hypertension places greater stress on the heart and kidneys (which regulate blood pressure and filter the blood) meaning that they have to work harder to function effectively - Hypertension causes heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure (contributing to BOD & morbidity) - Symptoms include stress, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, genetics, poor diet

- Cholesterol is a fat which is required by the body the maintenance of cell membranes and the production of hormones - It is produced in the liver and is found in many animal products such as eggs, full cream milk and fatty meats such as chicken skin as they contain high amounts of fat - There are two types of cholesterol - Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL): Bad cholesterol. Too much LDL causes plaque to build up on the walls of blood vessels, reducing the amount of room available for blood to pass through. This causes a condition called atherosclerosis - High Density Lipoprotein (HDL): Good cholesterol used by the body

- Glucose provides the body’s cells with energy - Carbohydrates in food are broken down into glucose and absorbed into the blood stream - When blood glucose levels rise, insulin is released from the pancreas which directs the glucose that is in the bloodstream to the working cells and tissues to provide them with energy - Consistently high glucose level results in consistently high insulin levels and the body can eventually build up a resistance/immunity to the function of insulin. This prevents glucose from being absorbed - This contributes to variations in health status such as high rates of type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke and kidney diseases

- Birth weight is associated with health outcomes after birth and later in life - Babies born with a low birth weight (under 2.5 kilograms) are more likely to have an underdeveloped immune system, increasing their susceptibility to infections - They are also more likely to suffer from premature death and disabilities such as learning and speech difficulties - Low birth weight also contributes to: high blood pressure type 2 diabetes cardiovascular disease - Causes of low birth weight can be: Prematurity Age of the mother (under 15 or over 45) Health of the mother Smoking or drug and alcohol abuse

- Genetics determines things such as gender, body type, hormone production and predisposition to disease - Genes are contained in chromosomes where they are arranged in a special formation of proteins - There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell and each pair contains one chromosome from the mother and one from the father - When sperm and ovum meet at conception they receive 23 the new cell contains 46 chromosomes (even spilt between parents) - Gender is determined by the 23 rd chromosome. Females have to X chromosomes and males have an X and Y - Genetic conditions are linked to the sex chromosomes, making them more present in either males or females E.g.- haemophilia in males

- Genetics influences how likely a person is to develop a particular condition or disease - If someone is predisposed to a condition they may not necessarily develop it however they are at increased risk - Some conditions include: (these conditions account for variations in health status) -Cancer (breast and prostate) -Cardiovascular disease -Diabetes -Obesity -Depression

- Hormones are responsible for the formation of male and female sex characteristics which can lead to differences in some of the health conditions experienced in men and women - Certain conditions are either exclusive to males or females (e.g. man can not develop ovarian cancer) - If levels of particular hormones are too high or too low problems can result - Of particular concern are the hormones OESTROGEN and TESTOSTERONE

OESTROGEN - This hormone regulates the menstrual cycle - It is essential for keeping the bones strong and maintaining bone density - As a woman hits menopause the levels of oestrogen in their body decline - This can lead to a loss of bone mass which increases the risk of breaks and fractures and the development of osteoporosis - - Oestrogen may be a protective factor against cardiovascular diseases which may explain the lower rates in women

TESTOSTERONE - Predominantly known as the male sex hormone but is found in small quantities in women - Is responsible for sex characteristics in men and the production of sperm - Has been linked to reducing heart disease (inconclusive) - Is associated with higher rates of risk taking and smoking, contributing to ill health - Testosterone levels decrease in men at around the age of 40 and can result in symptoms such as loss of sex drive, fatigue and depression