The changing world has brought with it some good and some bad. While the good is all obvious and visible and tangible, the bad lurks hidden, covert and unnoticed. One cannot deny that science and changing technologies have greatly benefited our lives and made so much possible. But the coming in of machines and automated processes has taken away from the age-old traditions of manual labor and hard work. And while the general perception is that this is a positive change seeing as to how it has made life easier, there is another aspect that one should take into consideration: the fact that the dependency on technologies and machines has given rise to a number of health ailments and clinical conditions that are now known as Lifestyle Diseases.

Before we discuss what the concept of Lifestyle Diseases entails, it is important to understand what the term “lifestyle” implies. The term is used to refer to the many and different ways of living that exist in society. While some people have and affluent lifestyle that can be measured in terms of material possessions and wealth, there are others who have a sparse lifestyle owing to limited financial resources.

The concept of Lifestyle Diseases has been derived from that of Lifestyle. In a nutshell, it refers to the illnesses that strike mankind as a by-product of all the advancements, technological and scientific developments and industrialization that are taking place all over the world. The changing world and the changing times have caused a severe alteration in the ways of living of people across the globe, and some of these transformations have put a strain on the health of people. There are a number of well-known diseases that are included in the category of Lifestyle Diseases. These include chronic liver disease, also known as cirrhosis, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, chronic renal failure which is also known as Nephritis, atherosclerosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome. Other ailments such as the universal killer cancer, osteoporosis, and strokes too are a category of Lifestyle Diseases. Conditions such as acne, depression and obesity can also be seen to arise out of changing habits and lifestyles.

It has been observed that as processes of modernization continue to take place, the incidence of these diseases continues to rise. Most developing countries are riddled by widespread diseases and it has been observed that increased industrialization and lifestyle diseases seem to go hand in hand.

Lifestyle diseases grow slowly in the body, gradually over a period of many years, as a result of which they are not easy to detect. It is only when the disease has reached severe stages and has taken over the body that people realizing its presence. Hence, it is important to prevent these diseases as curing them implies repairing years and year’s worth of damage.

The inherent difference between Lifestyle Diseases and other diseases lies in the fact that while many of the other diseases can not be averted, lifestyle diseases can easily be avoided by maintaining a few good healthy living habits. Also, many chronic ailments require complicated surgeries and operations and medicines to be controlled and even then they cannot be entirely cured. Lifestyle Diseases on the other hand can easily be gotten into control and can also be cured provided the person is willing to alter his daily routine to incorporate some fundamental habits of healthy living.

This brings to the question: what causes Lifestyle Diseases? The simplest explanation is that such diseases are caused when the individual is not able to successfully adapt to his or her environment. Habits and ways of living affect the ability of an individual to remain immune to infections and illnesses. Many lifestyle changes are seen to increase the propensity of an individual towards contracting illnesses. Some of the factors of living that influence the physical and mental well-being are exercise routines, diet, alcohol consumption, smoking and suchlike.