Health Talk
The burden that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) inflict on people and healthcare
systems is significant and growing. The four major NCDs—cardiovascular disease,
most cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses—are on the rise, despite the
fact that infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis receive most of
the attention and funding in the world.
Numerous people are impacted by NCDs, which have a severe negative impact on
human potential, the economy, and health. Unhealthy habits and behaviours that are
frequently started in adolescence and youth are linked to the frequency of NCDs. Young
people's chances of later developing NCDs will be directly impacted by these harmful
practises. Utilizing this crucial window of opportunity to make interventions that are
effective is essential to creating a healthier future.
The main NCDs are driven by four modifiable risk behaviours:
Tobacco use
Excessive use of alcohol
Unhealthy diet
Insufficient physical activity
These actions can result in obesity, hypertension, and excessive cholesterol, all
of which are directly linked to NCDs.
Here are some common ailments that are increasingly affecting our youths.
Mental Health Disorders
Type 2 Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Heart Disease
Chronic Lung Disorders
Cancers
1. Mental Health Disorders
One of the most prevalent NCDs in children is mental illness. One of the main risk
factors for the emergence of mental diseases is negative behaviour and lifestyle
variables, particularly smoking, alcohol and drug use, poor diet, and metabolic
syndrome.
Youths are particularly at risk for drug and substance misuse, which can result in
depression and behaviour issues as well as poor mental health. Anxiety, mood,
attention, and behaviour disorders are the most prevalent mental illnesses in
adolescents. The second most common cause of mortality for adolescents between the
ages of 15 and 24 is suicide.
Adolescents with mental health issues are especially susceptible to social isolation,
discrimination, stigma (which can impair their willingness to seek care), academic
challenges, risk-taking behaviours, physical ill-health, and human rights violations.
2. Type 2 Diabetes
You might not even be aware that you have diabetes. People who have the condition
but haven't seen any symptoms are often unaware of it.
One of the main risk factors for diabetes is obesity. Obesity rates among younger
generations—even children—are substantially greater than before. Because of this, the
prevalence of type 2 diabetes and obesity is fuelled by the way many people live today.
We spend far too much time sitting and eat more calories, sweet drinks, and fast food.
The disease must therefore be checked for more frequently in young people. Get tested
to know if your sugar level is in check.
3. High Blood Pressure
Although hypertension is typically thought of as an "adult disease," more and more
adolescents and youths are developing the illness. You are not too young to be affected
by high blood pressure, even if you are a young adult. Even those who appear
healthy, about half of persons over the age of 20 have raised or high blood pressure.
Even while high blood pressure doesn't have any overt symptoms, it shouldn't be
disregarded.
Long-term studies have shown that having high blood pressure considerably raises your
risk of acquiring serious health disorders later in life, even if you are just in your 20s.
Additionally, high blood pressure has financial repercussions in addition to health
effects.
If high blood pressure is not treated it can lead to significant medical diseases, like heart
disease.
4. Heart Disease
Heart disease does not only affect older people. Younger folks are experiencing it more
and more frequently. This is partially due to the fact that heart disease-causing diseases
are developing in younger people.
Younger persons who are obese and have high blood pressure are more likely to
develop heart disease early in life. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking
are the top three risk factors for heart disease, and they are all present in the majority of
Indian youth.
Obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity, and bad eating habits are other illnesses and
behaviours that influence your chance of developing heart disease.
5. Chronic Lung Disorders
Asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis are just a few examples
of the respiratory illnesses and diseases that can severely limit one's capacity to
function and are a leading cause of activity restrictions in children.
Cough, wheeze, congestion, chest pain, shortness of breath, respiratory distress, and,
in the most extreme situations, death, are symptoms connected to both mild and more
severe forms of various respiratory disorders. Smoking is one of the many
environmental and genetic factors that combine to affect the development and severity
of asthma, making it a particularly complex respiratory condition.
6. Cancers
Testicular cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, and primary bone cancer are among the cancers
that are most frequently diagnosed in teens and young adults. However, based on age,
different cancer kinds have different incidence rates. Among people aged 15 to 24,
lymphomas and thyroid cancer are the most prevalent cancers.
There is evidence that some malignancies in teenagers and young adults can have
distinctive genetic and biological characteristics. In order to identify molecularly focused
medicines that may be successful in treating these tumours, researchers are working to
better understand the biology of cancers in young adults.
Brain and other central nervous system tumours, breast, cervical,
colorectal, leukaemia, lymphoma, melanoma, sarcomas (bone and soft tissue
sarcoma), testicular, and thyroid cancers are the most common cancers in youths.
7. Ways You Can Take Control of Your Health
With regard to your health, you are in command. At any age, learn how to stay healthy.
a) Give Up Smoking
The number one preventable cause of death is smoking. Stop smoking if you don't
already. If you smoke, figure out how to stop.
b) Control Medical Conditions
Manage problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol in
conjunction with your doctor. Taking any recommended medications is part of this.
c) Make Healthy Dietary Changes
Consume foods that are low in sodium, added sugar, trans fat, and saturated fat. Aim to
have whole grains, fruits, and veggies on at least half of your plate. Limit your daily salt
intake to 1,500 mg.
d) Keep Moving
Get active every week for at least 90 to 150 minutes. For a total of 30 minutes of
exercise every day, you can even divide the workout into 10-minute halves.
e) Keep an Ideal Weight
If you are overweight, losing even 4.5 kg can reduce your risk of developing blood
pressure and other NCDs.
f) Limit Alcohol
Limit your daily alcohol consumption to two drinks for men and one drink for women.
g) Receive Mental Health Support
It is imperative to attend to the needs of young people with mental health issues. There
are several strategies to manage mental health issues, including avoiding
institutionalisation and over-medicalization, giving non-pharmacological methods
priority, and respecting children's rights.
What Does an Adolescent Checkup Look Like?
Since teenagers aren’t kids anymore — but also aren’t quite adults — we make
sure to provide our developing patients with an age-appropriate experience. That
means keeping mom and dad informed while giving the teen a safe space to
speak with their doctor about issues they may not want to bring up around their
parents.
It’s also important to always keep the focus on the teen and encourage them to
speak for themselves. Beyond medical information, we want to learn about their
interests, passions and who they are as a person so we can provide holistic,
total-person care.
Puberty
One of the first issues you should discuss with your adolescent is puberty — the
physical change from childhood to adulthood. While you may want to push this
off as long as you can, puberty could begin as early as age 8. Prepare your child
beforehand by making them aware of things like body hair, a changing
voice, acne, periods and breast growth. You should also take your child in for a
yearly checkup to ensure their development is on track. Starting these
conversations early will help establish trust with your teen.
Body Image and Nutrition
Another common health problem of teenagers is body image. Although it’s
important to encourage a healthy weight to avoid chronic conditions like diabetes,
adolescents are also the most vulnerable age group for developing eating
disorders. Make sure any discussion about their body doesn’t revolve around a
number on the scale — but rather their overall nutrition, activity level and lifestyle.
These tips may help:
Eat fresh, colourful foods every day — make food in the kitchen rather than
ordering out and keep healthy, plant-based snacks available to your teen
at all times.
Limit foods and drinks loaded with sugar, like soda and desserts.
Encourage daily physical activity. Whether they walk around the block or
play multiple sports, all exercise is good exercise.
Substance Use
When exploring the common health problems of a teenager, substance use
should be one of your main areas of concern as a parent. Although teenagers
today use less substances compared to earlier decades, they’re now more
readily available and highly concentrated. For example, the cigarettes and
marijuana you were warned about as a child now come in new, electronic forms
— like e-cigarettes and THC cartridges — that are much easier to buy and
conceal.
Make sure your teen is aware of the dangers without turning it into a lecture.
Adolescents usually won’t respond well to direct criticism or think about the long-
term effects, so most doctors use motivational interviewing, instead. Have your
teenager practice the following process:
1. Identify the consequences of partaking in the risky behavior.
2. Find steps to avoid the behavior (or quit if use has already begun).
3. Use real-world examples and role play to come up with a plan for future
situations.
Mental Health
Mental health for teenagers has changed greatly in recent years. Now that nearly
every adolescent has a cell phone, their peers can access them 24/7. Any
bullying occurring during the school day can now carry over to the apps they use
at home. Pay attention to your teen’s behavior, take their concerns seriously and
be proactive about contacting their school if necessary.
Additionally, COVID-19 has led to increased depression and anxiety in teens due
to online schooling, family financial struggles, death and other pandemic-related
problems. Since adolescents can verbalize their feelings more effectively than
children, let your teenager know that they can come to you with any mental
issue. Then, help them find a trustworthy psychiatrist.
Sexual Health
As your teen steps into the dating world, they should have all the resources they
need to stay safe. Whether that’s birth control, condoms, STD testing or
abstinence, it’s incredibly important that you start these conversations with your
teenager early – because they likely won’t approach you for help in this area
themselves.
What Else Can You Do to Encourage Health for
Teenagers?
Support your teen’s passions. No matter how silly their hobby or interest
may seem to you, helping them stay involved in something they care about
can keep them on track.
Encourage open communication. Your teenager should know that they can
come to you about anything at any time without judgment.
Recognize that sometimes teens don’t want to talk. Find a balance
between giving them space and letting them know they have support when
they need it.
What Does an Adolescent Checkup Look Like?
Since teenagers aren’t kids anymore — but also aren’t quite adults — we make
sure to provide our developing patients with an age-appropriate experience. That
means keeping mom and dad informed while giving the teen a safe space to
speak with their doctor about issues they may not want to bring up around their
parents.
It’s also important to always keep the focus on the teen and encourage them to
speak for themselves. Beyond medical information, we want to learn about their
interests, passions and who they are as a person so we can provide holistic,
total-person care.
Puberty
One of the first issues you should discuss with your adolescent is puberty — the
physical change from childhood to adulthood. While you may want to push this
off as long as you can, puberty could begin as early as age 8. Prepare your child
beforehand by making them aware of things like body hair, a changing
voice, acne, periods and breast growth. You should also take your child in for a
yearly checkup to ensure their development is on track. Starting these
conversations early will help establish trust with your teen.
Body Image and Nutrition
Another common health problem of teenagers is body image. Although it’s
important to encourage a healthy weight to avoid chronic conditions like diabetes,
adolescents are also the most vulnerable age group for developing eating
disorders. Make sure any discussion about their body doesn’t revolve around a
number on the scale — but rather their overall nutrition, activity level and lifestyle.
These tips may help:
Eat fresh, colorful foods every day — make food in the kitchen rather than
ordering out and keep healthy, plant-based snacks available to your teen
at all times.
Limit foods and drinks loaded with sugar, like soda and desserts.
Encourage daily physical activity. Whether they walk around the block or
play multiple sports, all exercise is good exercise.
Substance Use
When exploring the common health problems of a teenager, substance use
should be one of your main areas of concern as a parent. Although teenagers
today use less substances compared to earlier decades, they’re now more
readily available and highly concentrated. For example, the cigarettes and
marijuana you were warned about as a child now come in new, electronic forms
— like e-cigarettes and THC cartridges — that are much easier to buy and
conceal.
Make sure your teen is aware of the dangers without turning it into a lecture.
Adolescents usually won’t respond well to direct criticism or think about the long-
term effects, so most doctors use motivational interviewing, instead. Have your
teenager practice the following process:
1. Identify the consequences of partaking in the risky behavior.
2. Find steps to avoid the behavior (or quit if use has already begun).
3. Use real-world examples and role play to come up with a plan for future
situations.
Mental Health
Mental health for teenagers has changed greatly in recent years. Now that nearly
every adolescent has a cell phone, their peers can access them 24/7. Any
bullying occurring during the school day can now carry over to the apps they use
at home. Pay attention to your teen’s behavior, take their concerns seriously and
be proactive about contacting their school if necessary.
Additionally, COVID-19 has led to increased depression and anxiety in teens due
to online schooling, family financial struggles, death and other pandemic-related
problems. Since adolescents can verbalize their feelings more effectively than
children, let your teenager know that they can come to you with any mental
issue. Then, help them find a trustworthy psychiatrist.
Sexual Health
As your teen steps into the dating world, they should have all the resources they
need to stay safe. Whether that’s birth control, condoms, STD testing or
abstinence, it’s incredibly important that you start these conversations with your
teenager early – because they likely won’t approach you for help in this area
themselves.
What Else Can You Do to Encourage Health for
Teenagers?
Support your teen’s passions. No matter how silly their hobby or interest
may seem to you, helping them stay involved in something they care about
can keep them on track.
Encourage open communication. Your teenager should know that they can
come to you about anything at any time without judgment.
Recognize that sometimes teens don’t want to talk. Find a balance
between giving them space and letting them know they have support when
they need it.
