Topic vocabulary: health and lifestyle

an illness, such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease, that is caused mainly by the way people live (their diet, activity level, smoking, etc.) rather than by infection

জীবনযাপনজনিত রোগ

As incomes rise in South Asian cities, lifestyle diseases are replacing infections as the leading cause of death.

involving a lot of sitting and very little physical activity

শারীরিক পরিশ্রমহীন; বেশিরভাগ সময় বসে থাকা

Many office workers in Dhaka lead a largely sedentary lifestyle, spending up to ten hours a day at a desk or in traffic.

the condition of being so overweight that it is a danger to health; the adjective is 'obese'

স্থূলতা

Childhood obesity has become a growing concern in urban Bangladesh, where fast-food outlets now surround many schools.

(of an illness or problem) lasting for a long time or keeps coming back; the opposite of 'acute' (sudden and severe)

দীর্ঘস্থায়ী; দীর্ঘমেয়াদি

Patients with chronic conditions such as asthma need regular check-ups rather than one-off treatment.

(of a disease) not passed from one person to another; often shortened to NCDs (non-communicable diseases)

অসংক্রামক

Non-communicable diseases now account for the majority of deaths in Bangladesh, a dramatic shift from fifty years ago.

a diet that contains the right amounts of all the different types of food the body needs to stay healthy

সুষম খাদ্য

Schools can encourage children to eat a balanced diet by replacing fried snacks in the canteen with fruit and lentils.

containing many of the substances (vitamins, protein, minerals) that the body needs to be healthy and grow

পুষ্টিকর

A plate of rice, dal and green vegetables is cheap but surprisingly nutritious.

food that has been changed in a factory, often with added salt, sugar, fat or preservatives, such as instant noodles, crisps and packaged snacks

প্রক্রিয়াজাত খাবার

Diets high in processed food have been linked to rising rates of hypertension among young adults.

poor health caused by not eating enough food or not eating the right kinds of food

অপুষ্টি

Although child malnutrition in Bangladesh has fallen significantly since the 1990s, stunting remains common in poorer districts.

likely to be affected or harmed by a disease or problem; followed by 'to'

সহজে আক্রান্ত হয় এমন; ঝুঁকিপূর্ণ

Elderly people are particularly susceptible to heatstroke during long summer power cuts.

to make a problem, illness or bad situation worse

আরও খারাপ বা তীব্র করা

Air pollution exacerbates breathing problems such as asthma, especially in children.

how common something, especially a disease, is among a particular group of people at a particular time

ব্যাপকতা; প্রাদুর্ভাবের হার

The prevalence of diabetes is considerably higher among city dwellers than among people in rural areas.

medical care that aims to stop illness before it happens, for example vaccinations, health education, screening and regular check-ups

প্রতিরোধমূলক স্বাস্থ্যসেবা

Every taka spent on preventive healthcare can save several taka in hospital treatment later.

the average number of years that a person can expect to live

গড় আয়ু

Life expectancy in Bangladesh has risen from under 50 years in the early 1970s to more than 70 years today.

the hospitals, clinics, equipment, trained staff and systems that a country needs to provide medical care

স্বাস্থ্যসেবা অবকাঠামো

Outside the major cities, healthcare infrastructure is often inadequate, so patients travel for hours to see a specialist.

an organised effort by a government or organisation to inform people about a health risk and change their behaviour

জনস্বাস্থ্য প্রচারাভিযান

In the 1980s, a nationwide public health campaign taught millions of Bangladeshi mothers to make oral saline at home, sharply reducing child deaths from diarrhoea.

a population in which the proportion of older people is increasing, usually because of longer lives and fewer births (American spelling: aging)

বয়স্ক মানুষের অনুপাত বাড়ছে এমন জনগোষ্ঠী

Japan's ageing population means that fewer workers must support a growing number of retirees.

the systems that keep places clean and healthy, especially toilets, drains and the safe removal of human waste

পয়ঃনিষ্কাশন ও পরিচ্ছন্নতা ব্যবস্থা

Improved sanitation has done as much as modern medicine to reduce deaths from cholera and typhoid.

water that is clean enough to drink without any risk to health

নিরাপদ খাবার পানি

In parts of rural Bangladesh, families still walk long distances to collect safe drinking water from an arsenic-free well.

made dirty, poisonous or harmful by a polluting substance such as bacteria, chemicals or arsenic

দূষিত

Millions of tube wells in Bangladesh were later found to be contaminated with naturally occurring arsenic.

a situation in which a disease spreads quickly and affects many people in one area at the same time; also used for any harmful thing that spreads fast ('an obesity epidemic'). A 'pandemic' affects the whole world.

মহামারি

Bangladesh faced its worst dengue epidemic on record in 2023, when many city hospitals were overwhelmed with patients.

the act of giving someone a vaccine to protect them against a disease

টিকাদান

Bangladesh's childhood vaccination programme is often cited as one of the most successful in the developing world.

the ability to obtain medical services when you need them, which depends on distance, cost and availability

স্বাস্থ্যসেবা পাওয়ার সুযোগ

Mobile clinics can improve access to healthcare for people living on remote river islands.

a serious cost, duty or problem that is difficult for a person or system to deal with

বোঝা; চাপ

The rise in diabetes places a heavy financial burden on families as well as on public hospitals.

a state of feeling generally good about yourself and your life, coping with normal stress and functioning well (also spelt 'well-being')

মানসিক সুস্থতা

Long working hours and constant social media use can take a toll on young people's mental wellbeing.

strong feelings of shame or disapproval that society attaches to something, such as mental illness

সামাজিক কলঙ্ক; নেতিবাচক দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি

The stigma surrounding depression means that many students in Bangladesh never ask for professional help.

a state of extreme physical and mental tiredness, and loss of motivation, caused by working too hard for too long

অতিরিক্ত কাজের চাপে মানসিক ও শারীরিক অবসাদ

Junior doctors who work 36-hour shifts are at serious risk of burnout.

professional advice and support given to people to help them deal with personal or psychological problems (American spelling: counseling)

মানসিক পরামর্শ সেবা (কাউন্সেলিং)

Universities should offer free counselling to students who are struggling with exam stress.

to make pain, suffering or a problem less severe

লাঘব করা; উপশম করা

Building more community clinics would alleviate the pressure on overcrowded city hospitals.

to control or limit something harmful

নিয়ন্ত্রণ করা; লাগাম টানা

Several countries have introduced a sugar tax to curb the consumption of soft drinks.

causing harm or damage; followed by 'to'

ক্ষতিকর

Spending several hours a day on a phone can be detrimental to children's sleep and concentration.

long life; the fact of living for a long time

দীর্ঘায়ু

Researchers studying longevity have found that strong social ties matter almost as much as diet.

medical tests carried out on many people to find a disease early, before symptoms appear

রোগ শনাক্তকরণের পরীক্ষা (স্ক্রিনিং)

Free blood-pressure screening at pharmacies could identify thousands of people with undiagnosed hypertension.