According to the CDC, 6 in 10 US adults have at least one chronic disease (4 in 10 have two or more). Chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the world, and a major driver of health care costs in our country. Cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes combined result in over half of US deaths. 859,000 Americans die of heart disease and stroke each year, which is about 1/3rd of all US deaths. 1.6 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year, and almost 600,000 die from it, making it the second leading cause of death in the US. 30 million Americans have diabetes, and 84 million adults have prediabetes putting them at risk for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, blindness, amputations, and a major contributor to heart disease and stroke. 1 in 3 US adults are Obese, and so are 1 in 5 children! Obesity puts people at risk for chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancers. Not only does chronic disease cause physical and emotional harm, 90% of the nation’s $3.3 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions. At the current rate, Chronic disease will break the back of this great country!
Now take a second to think of all the people you know who have been touched directly or indirectly from a chronic disease, this may even include yourself. As you remember their face, their smile, realize that for the majority of those individuals, chronic disease, the associated pain, suffering and costs COULD BE MOSTLY PREVENTED! According to many leading physicians including Dr. David Katz, from Yale University School of Medicine (Director of Public Health), “we could eliminate 80% of all heart disease and strokes, 90% of all diabetes, and as much as 60% of all cancer”. Healthcare in its current state has minimal impact on reversing or even slowing down this epidemic. Accumulating scientific evidence has also shown that genetics play a smaller role than previously believed. A person’s lifestyle has the greatest impact and the most important risk factors include what we put into our bodies (food, alcohol, cigarette smoke), and lack of physical activity and sleep.
We hope you enjoyed this post. Remember, with the healthier clinic, you receive a trusted physician advisor focused on disease prevention, to help you become healthier.
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