年轻人也可能患有这些老年健康问题

Arthritis

关节炎

It's a common misconception that arthritis is an old person's disease. While osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear, and therefore most common among those over 65, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can be diagnosed at any time.

人们经常误认为关节炎是一种老年病。虽然骨关节炎是由软骨组织磨损造成的，因此在65岁以上的人群中最为常见，但类风湿性关节炎却是一种任何年龄段人群都可能患上的自身免疫性疾病。

Similarly juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the inflammation of the joints that starts before the age of 16. "The triggers are unknown but something causes the immune system to recognise joint tissues as foreign and attack them," explains Dr Sarah Brewer, medical director for the website Healthspan.

同样，幼年特发性关节炎指的是16岁之前的关节炎症。"诱因尚未可知，但有些原因导致免疫系统将关节组织视作外来组织，并对其进行攻击，"Healthspan网站的医疗主管Sarah Brewer博士说道。

■ What to do: If you experience painful, swollen or stiff joints , see your GP. You may also notice increased tiredness, reoccurring fever, a rash and/or inflamed eyes.

■怎么做：如果您关节疼痛、肿胀或僵硬，请尽快联系全科医生。也许您还有这些症状：越来越疲惫、反复发烧、皮疹或眼睛发炎。

"Keep as active as possible to maintain joint mobility," adds Dr Brewer. "And eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, fish, nuts, beans and spices such as turmeric, which may help to ease the inflammation you are suffering."

"尽可能地多做些运动、保持关节活络，"Brewer博士补充说。"多吃水果、蔬菜、鱼、坚果、豆类以及姜黄等香料，有助于缓解炎症。"

High blood pressure

高血压

It's true that the risk of high blood pressure, or hypertension, increases as you get older but it can develop at any age, even in childhood. In fact, one in 10 women in their 20s are currently affected, putting them at an increased risk of health problems such as strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease. "This number is growing due to the rising obesity numbers," says Dr Brewer.

的确，随着年龄的增长，人们患高血压的几率也会有所增加，但任一年龄段的人群都有可能患高血压，即使是小朋友。事实上，20几岁的小姑娘中，10%的人都受高血压的影响，而她们患中风、心脏病发作和肾脏疾病等健康问题的风险也随之增加。"由于肥胖人数越来越多，受高血压影响的人数也在增多，"Brewer博士说道。

"Obese children are three times more likely to develop hypertension than those with a healthy weight."

"肥胖儿童患高血压的可能性是体重正常儿童的三倍。"

■ What to do: Lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to your blood pressure so anyone worried should try to eat healthily, exercise more and cut back on alcohol and salt. See your GP who can check for any underlying causes, for example kidney disease, and prescribe medication if necessary.

■怎么做：生活方式的改变会在很大程度上改变血压，所以心存忧虑者可尝试健康饮食、多锻炼、减少酒精和盐分的摄入。去看看全科医生，他/她能检查出潜在病因，比如肾脏疾病。如若必要，医生还会给您开药。