Empowering Wellness: A Call for a Healthier Future in Society

For years, heart disease and cancer have been the leading causes of death in the U.S. The treatments for both ailments can be costly, making it more beneficial for American citizens to sidestep these illnesses altogether.

Preventive healthcare is aimed at identifying and averting diseases before they escalate. It typically includes checkups and vaccinations, along with adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as engaging in regular physical activity, following a nutritious diet, and steering clear of tobacco.

Although heart disease and cancer can still develop even when preventive measures are taken, leading a healthy lifestyle significantly lowers the likelihood of experiencing these conditions. Regrettably, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have indicated that 80% of cases of cardiovascular disease may have been preventable as of 2024, suggesting that a significant number of Americans lack a healthy lifestyle.

Our education system can address this concern. Typically, students are informed about the risks associated with smoking and drug use, while physical education classes promote exercise. Nonetheless, there exist methods for schools to enhance their capacity to foster healthy living.

Marcia Berke, a faculty member in the health studies department, has proposed an enhancement for health education.

“In many schools, I believe utilizing social norming is effective. For instance, a policy or ad in a school might state, ‘80% of our students disapprove of vaping or don’t drink and drive,’ instead of saying 20% of students do,” Berke explained. “Do you see my point? The focus is on the positive norm, where I don’t engage in it, I don’t endorse it, I don’t text and drive, and I don’t vape.”

Berke also supports recess and outdoor activities for middle school students.

“When these activities are absent, academic performance suffers. Numerous studies link activity, cognitive research, and academic success. Children perform significantly better when they have physical breaks like brain breaks and recess,” Berke stated. “Research conducted in some high schools and middle schools demonstrated that reading or math scores after recess were notably higher than at other times.”

Nonetheless, education does not last indefinitely. Adults are also susceptible to developing addictions to harmful substances or adopting unhealthy habits, so they too require encouragement to uphold their health.

Elizabeth Moxley, an associate nursing professor, advocates for assessing and recommending physical activity during medical evaluations.

“Certain researchers have suggested regarding physical activity as a vital sign. This would commence at the physician’s office, where the doctor would recommend and assess exercise alongside a medical examination,” Moxley stated.

A vital sign encompasses measurements of fundamental bodily functions generally evaluated during a checkup, such as pulse rate and temperature, to identify potential health concerns. Assessing the amount of exercise a patient engages in can assist physicians in better determining and mitigating their patients’ risks of acquiring preventable diseases.

“During a visit, the doctor might inquire about how much activity you engage in weekly, and based on your health status, they could suggest, for example, three days a week of moderate-intensity exercise for around 40 minutes, and one day a week of higher intensity for a shorter duration, say four minutes at very high intensity, followed by four minutes of rest, repeated four times,” Moxley described.

A shift in societal norms can also encourage adults to embrace healthy lifestyles, such as crafting advertisements that promote healthy behaviors or workplaces sending reminders to their staff about health maintenance.

Social media serves as a tool for steering society toward this transition. The government might endorse campaigns highlighting effective, simple, and economical strategies that individuals can adopt to uphold a healthy lifestyle. Mitigating the pressure on the U.S. healthcare system is one avenue through which the government’s yearly expenditures may be curtailed, thus benefiting the U.S. government as well.

In conclusion, both the U.S. government and its citizens reap the rewards of robust public health, and the expenses are minimal when the population prioritizes health maintenance over illness treatment.