The identification of comorbidities (additional long term conditions) are extremely common at first diagnosis or months/years after initial diagnosis of an individual’s first long term condition. Often this is as a result of shared risk factors for conditions.

Being overweight increases risk for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and depression amongst other conditions. Eating a diet high in processed foods increases risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and hypertension amongst others.

Understandably many people see the interplay between risk factors as a huge negative, feeling like if they indulge on a regular basis the effects are going to be vast and the detriment to their health isn’t going to be limited to just one condition. Even after diagnosis engaging in certain lifestyle behaviours are likely to make symptoms of conditions worse, and not just one symptom from one condition, but numerous symptoms from numerous conditions. I’m sure this leads to a huge lack of motivation from some individuals, I’ve certainly witnessed many individuals feeling ‘helpless’.

There is a way of gaining, at least partial, control over multiple conditions.

If risk factors demonstrate such interaction affecting development and management of long term conditions, doesn’t this present a great opportunity to make improvements to life through focused lifestyle change? Through targeted change there is the potential to have less pain related arthritis, less breathlessness, less fatigue, and fewer depressive moods.  One can improve all of these through making unified lifestyle changes. I think that’s pretty awesome.

Without doubt this is why the increase of daily activity is so beneficial to health and wellbeing. I think one would ideally approach controllable risk factors with a targeted approach; you can improve everything at the same time.

Jack Barton (Researcher, Rescon Ltd)

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