Poor Helath Education is Killing Americans

Health care reform has dominated headlines in the U.S lately, but experts are suggesting that what may also need improvement is the understanding that individual Americans have about their own health and wellness.

Despite evidence indicating that more than half of Americans are overweight, most are either in denial or are not willing to live in a state of 'poor' health, according to a survey completed Mintel, a major market research company.

Mintel determined that 70% or the people think they are in 'excellent' or 'good' health and only one in four believe they are fat or obese. Yet, most of those surveyed admitted to a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits.

A report published in Circuation on September 14, 2009, based on information from the United States National Health & Nutrition Examination Surveys, showed that in excess of 9 out of every 10 adults in Ameica in danger of developing cardiovascular disease.

How can people misunderstand their condition in the light of this evidence? The answer most likely is that health education is insufficient and people just do not understand the circumstances.

According to a article from the Mayo Clinic, patients were more likely to improve their health by just watching what they ate and getting a some exercise, if they were advised by physicians, nutritionists, and dietitians about risks of heart disease.

The patients were educated how to minimize cardiovascular disease risk factors as a group termed "metabolic syndrome." By definition, metabolic syndrome includes increased waist size, elevated fasting glucose, high triglycerides, minimized HDL cholesterol (the 'good' kind), and elevated blood pressure.

A physician might talk to a patient, that if he or she has three of the five symptoms included in metabolic syndrome, then he or she has the syndrome and has a much higher risk of contracting cardiovascular disease. The simple task of talking patients in this manner can strongly motivate patients to set high-priority goals that will significanty improve their health.

Physicians can advise patients to modify their lifestyle in order to reduce the threat of cardiovascular disease. The factors included in meatbolic syndrome can be reduced by using a program of exercise and weight loss.

Sadly, the data shown in both Mintel's study and Circulation indicate few patients actually receive this kind of advice from medical professionals.

Curbing the horrific health trends faced by the Americansat present will not lie in the hands of physicians, but in the hands of individual patients who must make up their minds to change their own habits for the long-term.



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