From 2010 to 2030, the number of Ohioans age 60 and older is projected to increase by 33.4% to nearly 3.1 million, representing a quarter of the state's total population.
That's according to a brief assessment of older Ohioans by the Department of Aging.
For people under the age of 60, the increase in the total population is 0.7% and compared to the projected decrease of 7.4%, the increase is high.
Here are six chronic conditions to watch out for as you age:
Heart diseases
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Ohioans 75 and older, according to the Ohio Department of Aging. They are second only to cancer among people aged 60 to 74 years. The percentage of Ohioans diagnosed with heart disease or stroke has increased since 2015, according to the state Department of Health.
According to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, these conditions include heart failure, heart failure, arrhythmias, valvular disease and vascular disease.
Risk factors include a family history of high blood pressure, low HDL ("good") cholesterol or high LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and heart disease; parent Type 1 diabetes; and menopause, according to OSU Wexner.
Talking to your doctor regularly, as well as exercising, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking or drinking alcohol are ways to reduce your risk.
Oncological diseases
According to the State Department on Aging, cancer is the leading cause of death among Ohioans between the ages of 60 and 74. In people 75 and older, it is second only to heart disease.
The five leading causes of cancer death in adults age 60 and older are lung, trachea, and bronchus. Pancreas the colon chest and prostate, according to the department.
Simply put, cancer is any disease that causes abnormal cells to multiply out of control and invade nearby tissues, according to the OSU Wexner Comprehensive Cancer Center. Carcinoma begins in the skin or lining of an organ; sarcoma begins in bone, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue; Leukemia begins in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow; And lymphoma starts in the immune system.
One factor that determines cancer risk is "having two or more close relatives in the same family with the same cancer or a related cancer," says OSU's Wexner.
Blood pressure (high blood pressure)
According to the Ohio Department of Health, nearly two-thirds (60%) of Ohioans age 65 and older have or have been diagnosed with high blood pressure at some point in their lives.
The World Health Organization defines blood pressure as 140/90 mm Hg. (millimeters of mercury) or more.
According to the State Department on Aging, the situation in Ohio is worse than the rest of the United States, and it is getting worse.
According to OhioHealth, ways to lower blood pressure include: quitting smoking; Diabetes management; Maintaining the target weight; Diagnosis of sleep apnea; Eat less salt, sugar and fatty foods; Control room sizes; Reduce stress through meditation; And stay active by doing 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week.
Diabetes
According to the State Department on Aging, diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death among Ohioans ages 60 to 74 and the seventh leading cause of death among those 75 and older. According to the Department of Health, nearly one-quarter (23%) of Ohioans age 65 and older have been diagnosed with the disease by a health care provider.
It's even worse for people of color: Those who identify as black or Hispanic (each 36 percent) or Asian/Pacific Islander (30 percent) are more likely to develop diabetes than whites (27 percent). State Department on Aging.
Some people can manage their diabetes by making a healthy eating plan, according to OhioHealth. Other ways to reduce your diabetes or ease its burden include eating healthy, exercising, and not smoking.
Excessive obesity
The US Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define obesity as a body mass index of 30 or higher.
According to the CDC, body mass index is a person's weight (in pounds or kilograms) divided by the square of their height (in feet or meters).
Those with low incomes are even worse off. Among those age 65 and older, those making less than $50,000 a year are more likely to be obese, according to the Department of Aging.
According to Mount Carmel Health, a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher is associated with other serious and life-threatening conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer. Eating healthy, meal planning, watching your portion sizes and making good decisions when eating out are all ways to lose weight.
Dementia
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia are a growing problem for older Ohioans, according to the state Department on Aging.
According to the department, Alzheimer's disease is the third leading cause of death among Ohioans age 75 and older, behind heart disease and cancer.
Read more: Jack Hannah's long farewell: How Alzheimer's took the man the world once knew.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease among Ohioans age 65 and older is expected to increase by 13.6 percent, from 220,000 in 2020 to 250,000 in 2025.
According to the department, this creates a burden not only on the sick, but on those who care for them, and more than 60% of them do it for at least two years.
nshuda@dispatch.com
@Natnael Shuda
This article originally appeared in The Columbus Dispatch: These 6 Diseases Seniors Can Get: You Should Know