A Gap in Healthcare

Today I would like to open up a conversation on a topic that I am passionate about. I’m talking about the priceless benefits of making mindful eating and lifestyle changes to improve health.

There is currently a huge gap between lifestyle and pharmaceutical interventions in our healthcare system. Despite doctors and organizations fighting to promote prevention of chronic diseases through lifestyle changes, the main form of health care in the United States is caring for patients who have developed chronic conditions. Around three-quarters of U.S. spending on health care goes towards medical interventions for patients with diseases. Less than 5% of the budget goes towards public health and disease prevention!

From my perspective, this seems incredibly off balance. As someone who promotes the benefits of improving eating and lifestyle habits to promote good health, I know the powerful changes that can be achieved through education of the importance of good eating and physical activity. Research has shown that there are relationships between nutrition, physical activity, and other lifestyle measures with chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.

If we know that improved eating and lifestyle habits can reduce the risk of developing such conditions, why is it that health care in our country focuses mainly on providing pharmaceutical interventions once a person falls ill rather than offering preventable care through nutrition? In part, there is far more funding for pharmaceutical research which means that more attention is given to typical medical therapy programs. Plus, it is difficult to get doctors and hospitals to see the importance of preventative dietary and lifestyle factors because that is not the common practice in America.

Our country is currently facing a growing problem of chronic disease across the nation. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2012 at least 1 in 4 Americans were suffering from two or more chronic conditions and in 2013, nearly 50% of the population was using at least one prescription drug. Conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity are all influenced by eating and lifestyle factors. In addition to prevention, informed eating and lifestyle changes through nutrition therapy can help improve the lives of those already diagnosed with chronic conditions.

Awareness of the strong benefits of prevention through nutrition education and therapy is a key factor in changing health care in America. The shift to nutrition education for disease prevention may be slow, but community health groups and private health centers are leading the way to change.

Your turn to take action: Would you like to see a shift to preventative care and nutrition therapy? How do you think this will influence our national health care?

References:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/drug-use-therapeutic.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/

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