Question

The risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease include being inactive, having a diet of high fat and high salt foods, developing high levels of LDL cholesterol, smoking, drinking alcohol, having a high ratio of body fat to other body tissue, and having Type II diabetes. How much control do you have over these factors? How much responsibility should be placed on individuals who develop cardiovascular disease due to these factors?

Answer 1

A person has quite a high degree of control over his levels of inactivity, what his diet looks like whether he smokes or drinks. ANd all of these factors are things which influence the likelihood of developing  type 2 diabetes. This essentially means that people are a lot of the times responsible for whether they develop type 2 diabetes or not and whether they develop cardiovascular disease or not. 

Answer 2

The control you have over these factors are high. Whatever we put on the plate and our life-style is basically our responsability. However, it is true also that a person who has financial struggles has less control over its choice than a person who can afford good meals, gym and other actvities. So, there is a degree of personal responsability but we should also remember that we live in a society with inequality, so those should count as well.

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As I said before, there is a certain degree of responsability, but first of all we should be sure that people know these things. After that, we should make affordable having an healthy diet (and as long coke could cost less than water this is not going to happen soon) and than, only when all people, regardless of their native condition, could have access to healthy eating and activities, than we can talk about personal responsability. Until then, I can only consider responsable the people who have the means to prevent such things and do nothing.