Behavior Change and Health News
Physical Inactivity and Poor Diet May Soon Overtake Tobacco as Leading Actual Cause of Death
A new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that preventable deaths caused by poor diet and physical inactivity caused 17% of deaths in the United States in 2000, up from 14% in 1990.
Just a decade ago, “There was a pretty substantial gap between tobacco and poor diet and inactivity,” says study researcher James S. Marks, MD, MPH, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “We found that now the gap has narrowed substantially. We believe diet, inactivity, and obesity—that constellation—will be the leading cause of death if things don’t change.”
To determine the causes and numbers of deaths, the researchers used mortality data for the year 2000 reported to the CDC. Actual causes of death are defined as lifestyle and behavior factors, such as physical inactivity and smoking, that contribute to the nation’s leading killers, including heart disease, cancer, and stroke.
The report findings, along with skyrocketing health care costs and an aging U.S. population, underscore the urgent need for more preventive measures. A sedentary lifestyle can produce higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and other conditions that are risk factors for stroke or heart attack. The CDC currently supports state and local prevention programs, and funds research to explore the effectiveness of various interventions in preventing disease.
Making people aware of the dangers of physical inactivity, and providing them with realistic solutions, is key to getting people active. Small changes each day can add up to big health benefits. Dr. Joseph Miller, a preventive cardiologist at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, says, “It’s why we encourage people to walk the dog, walk a little farther in the parking lot, walk the concourses at the airport. You don’t have to buy equipment, fancy shoes, or a gym membership.”
Active Living Every Day addresses the causes of physical inactivity and teaches people the skills necessary to become and stay active for a lifetime. This scientifically based program is being used with the general adult population and with various specialized groups, such as older adults, and people with arthritis or diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are funding studies analyzing the effectiveness of Active Living Every Day in managing various conditions and for specific populations. To learn more about Active Living Every Day, contact Michelle Maloney at 217-351-5076 ext 2522, or by e-mail at michellem@hkusa.com.
Sources
Davis, Jeanie Lerche, reviewed by Charlotte Grayson. Inactivity, Obesity Are Killing Americans. WebMD Medical News. http://content.health.msn.com.
Mokdad, Ali H., James S. Marks, Donna F. Stroup, and Julie L. Gerberding. Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. Journal of the American Medical Association, vol 291, pp. 1238-1245. http://jama.ama-assn.org.
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Fact sheet: Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. http://198.246.96.2/nccdphp/factsheets/death_causes2000.htm.
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