Death is an inevitable part of life, but dying
before our time is entirely preventable. According
to the Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD)
, the average life expectancy for Americans was
78.7 years in 2012. Dying at any point before
that age could be considered a premature death.
There are several key risk factors that can
contribute to an early death by way of a chronic
illness. For example, tobacco use, alcohol use,
salt intake, and high blood pressure are all
considered risk factors that can significantly
increase our risk of a premature death. While the
hazardous effects of tobacco use and high blood
pressure are well understood, there are other
seemingly innocent behaviors that can also lead
to an early grave.

1. Watching Too Much TV

After a long day of work, avoiding your couch
and the TV is easier said than done. However,
giving in to sedentary behavior could have life-
threatening results. A study conducted at the
Department of Public Health at the University of
Navarra examined the lifestyle choices of 13,284
college graduates for an average of 8.2 years.
Researchers set out to determine a link between
the risk of death and three examples of a
sedentary behavior, including prolonged TV
exposure, time spent in the car, and time spent
on the Internet. By the end of the study, a total
of 97 participants had died, including 19 from
adverse cardiovascular events, 46 from cancer,
and 32 from other causes. Compared to people
who watched an hour of TV or less, those who
watched three or more hours were twice as
likely to die prematurely. On the other hand, time
spent on the Internet or driving had no effect on
the risk of premature death.

2. Being Lonely

Loneliness has its obvious disadvantages when it
comes to psychological health, but could it also
be detrimental to our physical health? Research
presented at the American Association for the
Advancement of Science’s annual meeting in
Chicago found that a variety of aspects related
to extreme loneliness can increase a person’ risk
of an early death. Older people who feel lonely
are less likely to recover from stress or adopt a
positive outlook in life. Being lonely can also lead
to high blood pressure, increase cortisol level –
the depression hormone — and disrupt sleep
cycles. Overall, the research team found that
older people who feel lonely increase their risk
of premature death by up to 14 percent.

3. Early Retirement

Working too hard can increase a workaholic’s
stress and anxiety levels, but not working at all
can increase a person’s risk of depression, heart
disease, and premature death. Early retirement
may seem like a good opportunity to sit back and
enjoy the remaining years of your life, however,
corresponding research suggests that it could
limit the amount of years you have left.
Researchers from the University of Zurich in
Australia investigated the relationship between
mortality risk and early retirement among blue
collar workers. Men who decided on retirement
at an early age increased their risk of
prematurely dying before the age of 67. In fact,
for every additional year of early retirement, a
person increases their risk of a premature death
by 13.4 percent.

4. Exposure To Air Pollution

For certain parts of the world, both indoor and
outdoor air pollution have become so prevalent
that people tend to ignore the common health
concerns that can result from heavy exposure.
Air pollution is often regarded as the world’s
largest environmental health risk. Prolonged
exposure has been linked to an increased risk of
stroke, ischemic heart disease, acute respiratory
infections, and chronic obstructive pulmonary
diseases (COPD), and certain types of cancer.
According to the World Health Organization
(WHO), around seven million global deaths in
2012, one out of eight deaths, were caused by
either indoor or outdoor air pollution exposure.
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“The risks from air pollution are now far greater
than previously thought or understood,
particularly for heart disease and strokes,” Dr.
Maria Neira, director of the WHO’s Department
for Public Health, Environmental and Social
Determinants of Health, said in a statement .
“Few risks have a greater impact on global health
today than air pollution; the evidence signals the
need for concerted action to clean up the air we
all breathe.”

5. Not Brushing Your Teeth

If you’re under the impression that oral hygiene
means little when it comes to your chances of
dying at an early age, think again. A team of
Swedish researchers recently found that
excessive buildup of dental plaque can be linked
to premature death caused by cancer. A total of
1,390 people participated in the study that lasted
from 1985 to 2009. Researchers examined
lifestyle factors that increased each participant’s
risk of cancer and assessed their oral hygiene at
the beginning of the study. At the end of the 24
years of research, 58 participants had died
including 35 due to cancer. Compared to patients
who survived the study’s duration, patients who
died had higher dental plaque index, meaning the
gum area of their teeth was covered in plaque.
The film of bacteria resulting in dental plaque
has been considered a possible source of
infection and can play a role in carcinogenesis
over time.

1) This one catch me wella
2)I hate being lonely and bored
3) I neva start dey work but im busier than a bee
4) Mess follow?
5) Why will a human being not want to brush..men dey oo