Aka What I was trying to say was I'm sure the majority of people cannot, hand on heart, say that their lifestyle does not contain several elements that may adversely affect their health.
Of course, for smokers and heavy drinkers it is a bit more clear cut. But what about people who: don't eat the seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day; don't engage in moderately vigorous exercise three times a week; fly several times a year; drink several cups of coffee a day; drink full fat milk; don't breastfeed their children; eat meat several times a week; eat some processed foods;
So far as nutrition is concerned, many foods highly processed foods are heavily marketed. Some foods which on the face of it are natural, are likely to have undergone processes that are unnatural (e.g. meat from animals that have been given hormones and antibiotics). Even certain sorts of food packaging have been found to be potentially damaging to health.
Also, other elements of people's lives are likely to be damaging to their health but largely beyond their control:
Jobs that are, for example:
sedentary/screen-based; (office workers)
involve contact with chemicals, dust, etc. (factory workers, cleaners, hairdressers, florists, construction workers, pharmaceutical workers, etc.)
involve high levels of stress (e.g. ambulance workers, health workers)
involve working nights/long and/or irregular shifts
Environment:
Areas with high levels of air or ground pollution
Areas with high levels of naturally occurring radon
Homes that are cold, damp, badly ventilated
Genetic predisposition to particular illnesses
I know many people who are not smokers/drinkers/over eaters who have been unfortunate enough to be struck down with cancer or other serious illnesses. I feel that, whilst many of us could be more vigilant about our lifestyles, it is too simplistic to say that most illnesses are wilfully self-inflicted, firstly because there are so many other factors that contribute to illness and secondly because it is too convenient to blame the individual rather than to strictly regulate the food industry and clean up the environment.
