September 2003

Poor health impacts business

A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can help chiropractors who wish to position themselves as wellness physicians in the industrial community.

The report, issued by HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson on September 16, highlights recent research that shows the impact of chronic, preventable illnesses on business’ bottom lines. For example:

• Approximately 129 million U.S. adults are overweight or obese which costs this nation anywhere from $69 billion to $117 billion per year.

• In 2000, an estimated 17 million people (6.2 percent of the population) had diabetes, costing the U.S. approximately $132 billion. People with diabetes lost more than 8 days per year from work, accounting for 14 million disability days.

• Heart disease and stroke are the first and third leading causes of death in the United States. In 2003 alone, 1.1 million Americans will have a heart attack. Cardiovascular diseases cost the nation more than $300 billion each year.

• Approximately 23 million adults and 9 million children have been diagnosed with asthma at some point within their lifetime, with costs near $14 billion per year.

The report emphasizes that prevention is the key to health problems.

The full report is available for downloading at http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/prevention/.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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