COVID must motivate more healthy lifestyles

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the poor health of our nation. According to one report, COVID-19 patients with chronic conditions were 12 times more likely to die than otherwise healthy people. We have significantly higher rates of chronic illness than our peer nations in spite of the fact that we spend much more on health care than other wealthy countries.

According to recent data, about 160 million Americans have one chronic illness and about 80 million have multiple chronic illnesses. These illnesses include heart disease, cancer, diabetes and lower respiratory disease.

Obesity and smoking contribute significantly to these illnesses. Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that 80 percent of diabetes, heart disease and stroke could be eliminated through reductions in smoking and obesity.

In spite of health warnings, per capita consumption of cigarettes in the United States remains high but comparable to that of other wealthy nations. However, for decades, the United States has had the highest obesity rate among high-income countries. High rates of obesity are seen in our children and in every age group thereafter.

Americans who reach the age of 50 are generally in poorer health than their counterparts in other wealthy countries.

Chronic diseases account for 75 percent of the money our nation spends on health care yet only 1 percent of health dollars are spent on public efforts to improve overall health.

The high level of COVID-19 deaths should be a wake-up call for lifestyle changes that can improve our nation’s health and lower health care costs. Will we listen?