International Women's Day 2022: 7 lifestyle diseases that can affect women

We spoke to Dr Pooja Sahni, Gynaecologist from Altius Hospital, who talked briefly about common lifestyle diseases which can affect women

A woman is known to be multi-faceted and plays a vital role in our society. There is always a battle against time for a working woman. Most of them are unable to strike a work-life balance. Sixty-eight per cent of women suffer from lifestyle diseases.

Nearly fifty per cent of them skip meals and go for junk food due to work pressure and deadlines. Significant factors contributing to lifestyle diseases are physical inactivity, unhealthy food habits and inappropriate body posture. Let us talk briefly about common lifestyle diseases which can affect women 

Breast cancer- In recent years, the incidence of breast cancer is increasing, especially in the urban women population due to unhealthy lifestyles. In five percent women it can be genetic.

Depression/ Anxiety disorder- The main reason for this is long working hours and strict deadlines. Deficient of sleep and exercise, dependence to alcohol can lead to depression.

Woman health

PCOS- Most commonly noticed in women of reproductive age group. It is a hormonal disorder leading to menstrual irregularities, obesity and infertility. Obesity is a vital risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases. Many urban Indian working women are obese due to a sedentary lifestyle or unhealthy eating habits.

Chronic backache- Commonly seen in women due to long hours of static posture at work, inappropriate/no back support, excessive and sudden weight gain by sedentary lifestyle.

Deficiency of Vitamin D can happen due to a lack of exposure to sunlight. This can further lead to bone pain increased fatiguability.

Infertility- There is a rising trend in the incidence of infertile women due to stress, late marriage, delay in conceiving, obesity and pre-existing conditions like PCO. These lifestyle changes also complicate the pregnancies of such women. They are at high risk of developing Gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and cardiovascular complications, increasing morbidity and mortality. 

Early ageing- Studies have shown that an increased stress level can lead to early ageing. Researchers determined that increased cumulative pressure was connected with accelerated ageing than chronological ageing. 

Obesity can also cause depression, insomnia and psychological problems. 

To reduce all this ensure a healthy lifestyle by :

1. Maintaining a healthy weight.
2. Exercising regularly.
3. Get proper sleep ( 7-8 hours in a day)