Adulthood Flashcards
Middle adulthood
40-64 years
Late adulthood
65 years +
Physical development in early adulthood
- Full development has been reached and body is now in a maintenance phase.
- body continues to repair and replace cells.
- decrease in basal metabolic rate.
Physical development in middle adulthood
- decrease in the production of hormones (especially in women with the onset of menopause)
- decrease in muscle strength
- decrease in senses
- decline in reflex speed
Physical development in late adulthood
- further height reduction
- teeth deteriorate
- decline in the functioning of the heart and lungs
- increased ability to suffer from illness
Burden of disease
A measure of the impact of diseases and injuries; specifically it measures the gap between current health status and an ideal situation where everyone lives to an old age free of disease and disability. Measured in DALY’s
DALY’s
Disability adjusted life years.
A measure of the burden of disease
One DALY equals one year of healthy life lost due to premature death and time lived with an illness, disease or injury.
Similarities in the health status of males and females
- leading cause of death is coronary heart disease
- stroke is the second leading cause of death
- lung cancer is a high leading cause of death
- have an increasing life expectancy with death rates decreases for both genders.
Differences in the health status of males and females
Males:
More likely to be overweight and smoke
Experience higher rates of life threatening conditions
More males die under the age of 75 than females
More likely to avoid medical treatment and therefore less awareness of their health
Females:
More likely to have Alzheimer’s and arthritis
Overall females live longer than men
More likely to suffer from depression
Considered to be more health conscious and are more likely to visit the doctor
Define obesity
Relates to the carrying of excess body weight in the form of fat.
Two ways to measure obesity
BMI
For adults, a body mass index of over 30
Waist measurement
For adults more than 89 centimeters for females and 102 centimeters for males
Why obesity is a problem
- Through education and awareness, it is often preventable
- has a relationship with the development of other conditions, such as:
- diabetes mellitus
- cardiovascular disease
Biological determinants of obesity
Age: the metabolism slows down with age and due to this it becomes more and more difficult to control weight.
Genetic predisposition: some people may have a genetic predisposition to be overweight or have obesity.
Body weight: having a high body weight, is a risk factor for obesity.
Behavioural determinants of obesity
Lack of physical exercise: due to completing in less physical activities, less energy is burned which means the risk of being overweight and then developing obesity is increased.
Excessive alcohol consumption: Alcohol contains kilojoules and therefore energy, which means it can increase the chances of an individual gaining weight.
Diet: through consuming an energy dense diet, the foods contain large amounts of fat and simple carbohydrates (like sugar) and this supplies the body with many unneeded kilojoules and if this energy is not burned, over time it can result to weight gain
Social determinants of obesity
Socioeconomic status: people of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to be obese. This could be due to lower levels of physical activity and a more energy-dense diet.
Education: due to not obtaining information and the importance of a healthy diet and the risks of obesity the individual may be more likely to become obese due to not making the correct lifestyle choices
Food security: people who can’t afford or don’t have access to a healthy food supply may instead eat unhealthy, processed foods. These foods tend to be low in fibre but high in fats and sugar