| Healthy lifestyles can go a long way toward solving | | | | ExerciseThe Obesity-Cancer LinkResearchers have |
| today's healthcare crisis. These facts and figures give | | | | found 37 percent more cancer among obese women |
| some clues as to where we can make some changes | | | | and 25 percent more among obese men, compared |
| to prevent disease and cut healthcare costs.One | | | | to people of healthy weight. Death rates for all |
| Dollar Saves ThreeThe federal government doesn't | | | | cancers are 62 percent higher among obese women |
| keep track of statistics on how wellness programs | | | | and 52 percent higher among obese men. Among |
| can impact healthcare costs but some businesses | | | | obese women, risks for specific cancers increase as |
| have found that promoting wellness reaps handsome | | | | follows: breast 150 percent; uterine 200 to 400 |
| rewards. According to the Wellness Councils of | | | | percent; kidney 200 to 400 percent; pancreatic 200 |
| America, a non-profit group that promotes healthy | | | | percent; and colon 46 percent. |
| lifestyles, companies can save three dollars on | | | | Source: Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSourceWeight |
| healthcare expenses for every dollar they spend on | | | | Gain ExplainedAmericans' per capita daily calorie |
| wellness programs that teach employees to lead | | | | consumption increased by roughly 300 calories per |
| healthier lives. | | | | person between 1985 and 2000. Grains (mainly |
| Source: Wellness Councils of AmericaLifestyle Could | | | | refined grains) accounted for 46 percent of the |
| Reduce Diabetes by 87 PercentThe combination of | | | | increase, added fats for 24 percent, added sugars |
| losing weight, moving more, cutting out trans-fats, | | | | for 23 percent, and fruits and vegetables for 8 |
| saturated fats and excessive alcohol, and eating | | | | percent, while meat and dairy consumption declined |
| more fiber could reduce the incidence of type 2 | | | | by 1 percent. |
| diabetes by a staggering 87 percent. A modest | | | | Source: American Heart AssociationMultivitamins |
| 5-percent weight loss can lower risk significantly. The | | | | Could Cut Medicare CostsMedicare could save at least |
| incidence of type 2 diabetes increased by 60 percent | | | | 1.6 billion dollars in the next five years by providing |
| in the United States between 1990 and 2001. | | | | multivitamins to people over the age of 65. Cost |
| Treatment for diabetes and its complications | | | | savings would result primarily from fewer admissions |
| consumes 10 percent of America's healthcare dollars. | | | | to hospitals and nursing homes as a result of heart |
| Sources: British Journal of Nutrition and American | | | | disease and infections such as pneumonia. |
| Diabetes AssociationThe Aerobic CureAerobic | | | | Source: Multivitamins and Public Health: Exploring the |
| exercise alone cured metabolic syndrome (sometimes | | | | Evidence ConferenceCalcium and Folic Acid Could |
| called syndrome X) in 30 percent of people in the | | | | Save 15 Billion DollarsA study commissioned by the |
| HERITAGE Family Study in Canada. The syndrome is | | | | Dietary Supplement Education Alliance shows that the |
| a combination of elevated blood pressure, blood | | | | use of daily calcium supplements could prevent |
| glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and high waist | | | | 734,000 hip fractures annually, saving 13.9 billion dollars |
| circumference that significantly raises the risks of | | | | in healthcare costs. Daily use of folic acid supplements |
| diabetes and heart disease. People in the study rode | | | | could prevent 600 cases of neural tube birth defects, |
| a stationary bike three times per week for twenty | | | | saving an additional 1.3 billion dollars. Foods fortified |
| weeks. | | | | with calcium or folic acid offer an alternative to |
| Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and | | | | supplement pills. |