Top Causes of reduced life expectancy include:
- Cardiovascular disease – ischaemic heart disease (blocked arteries in your heart) and stroke are the most common causes of cardiovascular death.
- Cancer – the lungs, bowel, prostate and breast are the most common sites of fatal cancers.
- Smoking-related illnesses – include lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis).
- Injuries – suicide, road traffic accidents and falls are the most common causes of death from injury.
- Diabetes.
Cardiovascular disease, cancer and injuries together cause over 70 per cent of all premature deaths.
To increase your life expectancy you should:
- Avoid smoking.
- Be physically active.
- Reduce your weight if you are overweight.
- Maintain a healthy blood pressure and cholesterol level.
- Avoid alcohol above the recommended safe drinking levels.
Tackling these risk factors will prevent many chronic diseases from developing, which is much better than treating them after they occur.
