There has been an increase in incidence of lifestyle diseases in the society today. Cases of people dying prematurely from diseases such as cancer, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes are not uncommon (Bonder & Bello-Haas 212). It, therefore, follows that the prevalence of such diseases can be minimized significantly if attention is paid to the factors that drive people to adopt or engage in unhealthy lifestyles. Much of the available research on this phenomenon focuses on the consequences of unhealthy lifestyles; this necessitates investigations into the causes of such a lifestyle. This essay explores the driving factors of unhealthy, after which an exposition of the effects is also provided.

One of the causes of unhealthy lifestyle is mental issues. According to The Press Association, individuals whose mental health is poor-such as depression together with anxiety-tend to engage in dangerous lifestyle behaviors. Common behaviors that depressed persons and those undergoing mental health issues exhibit include binge drinking, poor diet, use of illegal drugs, and smoking. It has been concluded that depressed people and those with perceived stress will tend to adopt unhealthy lifestyles out of the perception that these lifestyles will help them to cope with the stressors.

Another factor behind unhealthy lifestyles is that more people have become well off, causing them to adopt habits that put their health at risk. For example, it is a fact that many people in the modern era own personal vehicles that they use to go to their workplaces and other places. In fact, it has been observed that “spending large amounts of time driving to work and other destinations is a common part of modern society” (Ding et al., 2014 p.1). As a result, people who spend most of their time driving have limited opportunities or time to actively engage in physical exercise and any other activities that enhance their health.

Peer pressure is another cause of unhealthy lifestyle. This position is informed by the fact that unhealthy lifestyles include things such as unprotected sex, use of illegal drugs, eating unhealthy foods, smoking, and eating disorders (Delaney 443). According to Hassin, Ochsner and Trope (375), people get involved in unhealthy lifestyles “despite their intentions to do otherwise”. Peer pressure has also been identified as one of the driving forces behind unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking, eating disorders, and binge drinking (Holtz 99). What this suggests is that inability to exercise self-control is a major cause of unhealthy lifestyles; people give in to pressure from their peers and other external forces.

Turning to the effects of unhealthy lifestyles, researchers have established a number of consequences linked with unhealthy lifestyles. The most commonly cited effect is disease; there is evidence to show that health problems like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease are the outcomes of unhealthy lifestyles (Lifestyle Choices 17). On the same note, unhealthy lifestyle has been linked with the onset of mental health problems (Cabello et al. 2). Inasmuch as mental issues have been cited as one among the causes of unhealthy lifestyle, it emerges that there is an interdependent relationship between the two variables.

Unhealthy lifestyles affect a person’s self-esteem. In a book titled Our Greatest Threats: Live Longer, Live Better, Manger (222) links healthy lifestyles to enhanced self-esteem and emotional stability.  With a high self-esteem, a person’s chances of succeeding in life and remaining happy are boosted. In other words, an unhealthy lifestyle has a negative impact on the quality of life that one leads. This can be interpreted to suggest that people who demonstrate unhealthy lifestyles have lower chances of attaining their future goals, reason being that they lack the confidence and aggressiveness needed to do so.

Other than health-related outcomes of unhealthy lifestyles, there are some financial consequences that arise as a result of living unhealthy. It is reported that in the U.S., obesity is the most serious crisis facing the nation. The situation is worsened by the fact that obesity can lead to even more serious conditions such as hypertension (Manger 10). Attempts by the government to contain the burden and prevalence of these diseases have cost the country huge sums of money. According to Manger (10), “the annual cost of diseases attributable to obesity is reported to be $117 billion”. Without doubt, the cost implications arising from unhealthy lifestyles are immense, more so when it is considered that the $117 billion is attributed to the prevention of obesity alone; there are several other lifestyle diseases that require proper management.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that unhealthy lifestyles are a serious threat to human health, besides creating an unnecessary economic burden to the state. Having established that unhealthy lifestyles are a major cause of deadly lifestyle diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, it is essential to understand the driving forces of unhealthy lifestyles so that appropriate measures are taken to reduce the prevalence of lifestyle diseases. The causes that have been identified in this essay include mental problems, peer pressure, and living a comfortably. The effects of unhealthy lifestyles include diseases such as cancer, hypertension, and diabetes; low self-esteem; and an economic burden to families and the society as a whole.

 

 

Works Cited

Bonder, Bette, and Vanina D. Bello-Haas. Functional Performance in Older Adults.
Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company, 2018. Print.

Cabello, Maria, et al. “The role of unhealthy lifestyles in the incidence and persistence of depression: a longitudinal general population study in four emerging countries.” Globalization and health 13.1 (2017): 18.

Delaney, Tim. Connecting sociology to our lives: an introduction to sociology. Routledge, 2015. Print.

Ding, Ding, et al. “Driving: a road to unhealthy lifestyles and poor health outcomes.” PloS one 9.6 (2014): e94602.

Hassin, Ran R, Kevin N. Ochsner, and Yaacov Trope. Self Control in Society, Mind, and Brain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.

Holtz, Jan L. Applied Clinical Neuropsychology: An Introduction. New York: Springer Pub. Co, 2011. Print.

Lifestyle Choices: A Positive Approach to Healthy Living – Self-Management, Diet, Exercise. Balcatta, W.A: R.I.C. Publications, 2005. Print.

Manger, William M. Our Greatest Threats: Live Longer, Live Better. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2006. Print.

The Press Association. Mental health problems cause of unhealthy lifestyle, not vice versa. 2013. Web.

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