Chronic Diseases: The Leading Causes of Death and Disability in the United States

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Chronic diseases are becoming a national epidemic today. They inflict catastrophic pain on the lives of Americans, eventually leading to death (if not properly managed). Of all chronic diseases, heart diseases and cancer caused a combined 46 percent of all U.S. deaths in just one year (2014 ).

In 2024, 127.9 million Americans are predicted to be future cardiovascular patients. Another 2 million cancer cases are expected to surface. That's a combined 37.4% of adults living with at least one chronic condition that could be prevented.
However, chronic diseases are not an unavoidable reality. Many are preventable through addressing key risk factors or behaviors very much in our control.

This article looks in-depth at the leading chronic disease culprits, their drivers, and proven lifestyle strategies to overcome them. Regaining our nation's health is possible, but first, we must understand the crisis we're up against.

Many factors, such as genetics and environmental exposures, are outside our control. Yet, some two-thirds of the major risk factors for NCDs most definitely aren't—those related to our daily lifestyle habits and behaviors.

Suppose we are able to curb the prevalence of these lifestyle habits and behaviors; we could significantly reduce the number of people who die from chronic diseases year-on-year. There are three major preventable drivers of chronic illness.

These three have been proven to increase the risk factor for chronic disease. They are:

Many Americans, about 28.3 million Americans, are regular smokers. This vice is one which is hard to stop and is a leading cause of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. According to the American Lung Association, smoking can lead to the following:

As a result of smoking on a regular basis, about 480,000 adults develop assorted chronic diseases every year, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These adults are some of the victims, but not the only ones.

About 3,200 American youths under 18 smoke their first cigarette every day. In other words, these brand new smokers, sadly could (potentially) help to replace current smokers, and the cycle continues.

Where nutrition is concerned, most people relinquish the show into the hands of fast-food vendors. If that weren't enough, the shelves of the supermarket are brimming with highly calorically dense and nutritionally-empty foods.

Fast food burgers and fries, candies, chips and all the other examples of food with empty calories. They are heavily processed and contain harmful contents, from processed fats to refined carbs and sugar.

Additionally, about 40% of Americans skip eating fruits and vegetables daily, which is worrying considering that fruits can help reverse the effect of some of these ‘empty foods’.

Adding to a lack of healthy foods, many Americans are not getting enough exercise. The new norm is office jobs, which means a majority of us are sitting at desks in front of screens. Therefore, it isn’t surprising to know that, In 2022, American adults who meet the basic requirement for aerobic exercises were 46.9%”.

Since most Americans depend on foods packed with high calories, not necessarily offering much nutrients, obesity is the unsurprising consequence. Obesity is the leading cause of stroke, heart disease, and some of the most viscous cancers known to man.

The third major preventable risk factor that fuels chronic disease rates is excessive alcohol consumption, including binge drinking events. and these consequences resonate much further than "just" health. In one year alone — 2010, in fact — alcohol abuse cost the nation a jaw-dropping $249 billion, as calculated through health care costs, loss of workplace production and crime, among other things.

In the same year, alcohol contributed to 88,000 deaths directly across the country. The average adult binge drinker also reportedly consumed eight alcoholic drinks per episode, often before having multiple such binges each month. It also substantially heightens the chance of liver disease, cancer, heart attacks or stroke and fatal accidents and injuries.

Factor in the overlap of who suffers from chronic disease based on smoking, poor diet/inactivity and alcohol abuse, and it's no wonder these preventable diseases have become leading causes of death and disability.

Although it’s preferable to stop the perpetuation of chronic diseases in the first place instead of treating them, many people already live with it every day. That said, living with a chronic disease is not the end of a fruitful and happy life. If you currently live with a chronic disease, there are a few things you can do to live better each day. Here are just a few:

People living with chronic diseases can still live happily if surrounded by people and professionals who genuinely care about them. Even more so, friends cheering up people with a chronic condition, family and loved ones coming around, and colleagues showing care can help the sufferer live more happily.

Overall care is needed to help manage chronic illnesses. This includes setting up systems to help take care of a patient's mental and physical health. And, as we’ve mentioned, catering emotionally is also essential as it improves the mood of the sufferer and could help alleviate symptoms. A holistic focus can improve overall well-being.

The more you know, the better managing a chronic disease becomes. It is best handled with as much knowledge and education about your specific condition. Empowered patients who have knowledge of their condition are better prepared as to what treatment (if any) is available to them and what they can do themselves. They have a greater ability to make better decisions regarding managing their own healthcare.

While undoubtedly difficult, a positive mindset will give those with chronic conditions a much-needed mental edge, and that's worth everything in the world, even if it doesn't seem like enough at times. Concentrating on what you do have control over, celebrating the tiniest of victories while maintaining a positive attitude and resisting a “woe is me” mindset all lend themselves to an overall better quality of life.

While cure is a good measure for regaining health, your best bet is to never come down with chronic diseases in the first place.

This starts with adopting a lifelong healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle involves never touching cigarettes, exercising, eating fruits and veggies in one form or the other at least once a day, and avoiding foods with empty calories (or even downright harmful content)

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