Health and Health Behaviour Workbook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Health and Health Behaviour Workbook - Essay Example Ethnicity, to a large extent is related to the genetic makeup of individuals. Individuals having identical ethnic origins are likely to possess similar genetic codes and it is for this reason that the pattern of disease in an ethnically similar population is characteristic of that ethnicity. Genetic information to a large extent determines the susceptibility of an ethnic group to certain diseases. The underlying mechanism may relate to over or under-production of certain factors (e.g. proteins or antibodies), absence of formation of certain chemical mediators, defects in immunity resulting in heightened vulnerability to certain infectious agents or anatomical differences arising due to genetic differences. Age is perhaps one of the most well-known factors that influence an individual’s health. Newborns with a naà ¯ve immune system are more prone to infectious disease. As the age advances, the various systems of the body start to function in an improved manner due to continuous development and exposure to external environment. Individuals of young age are less prone to the development of disease; however this is not a rule and it is likely that individuals develop certain conditions which are characteristic of young age, e.g. Acne is more common in the young age than at the extremes of ages. In the terminal part of the age, the waning function of the various systems of the body, render the individuals more prone to the development of disease. Gender has profound impact on the development or aggravation of disease. This complex effect is compounded by genetic factors, ultimately resulting in development of disease due to a complex interplay of the various factors that may include hormonal factors, immune status, dietary factors, ethnicity and various others. Physiological differences are closely related to genetic differences; for this reason the range of diseases that occur due to physiological difference are often closely related to