U.S. lifespan is rising but so are chronic illnesses

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published “The State of U.S. Health, 1990-2010” on July 10. In it, JAMA disclosed that while the life expectancy of Americans has increased, so has the occurrence of chronic illnesses caused by obesity, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity and smoking. More people are running, biking, and getting exercise in different ways; but this achievement is offset by the fact that so many more Americans are lacking any sort of exercise that there is little effect on the average health of Americans. According to a county-by-county study, specific communities that took health concerns seriously were able to see dramatic improvements. First Lady Michelle Obama plans to use the findings of this study to address her efforts to improve the nation’s diet and exercise habits.

Read the full Washington Post article here.