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Diseases and Risk Factors
Please click on the following topics to find
information on this page about chronic disease prevention and health
promotion related to Steps Program focus areas:
Obesity
Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for many diseases
and health conditions. In the last 30 years, the prevalence of obesity among
adults has more than doubled to about 33%; the prevalence of overweight has
almost tripled among children aged 2–5 and aged 6–11 to 13.9% and 18.8%,
respectively; and the prevalence of overweight has more than tripled to 17.4% for adolescents aged 12–19. In 2000, the estimated total cost of
obesity in the United States was about $117 billion.
Promoting regular physical activity and healthy eating—and creating an
environment that supports these behaviors—are essential to addressing the
obesity epidemic. For information and resources related to overweight and
obesity, please visit the following Web sites:
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Diabetes
In the past 15 years, the number of people in the
United States with diagnosed diabetes has more than doubled—reaching 14.6
million in 2005—and an additional 6.2 million people do not even know they
have the disease. Furthermore, an estimated 41 million U.S. adults aged
40–74 years have prediabetes, which means that their blood sugar level is
elevated enough to place them at high risk for developing diabetes. In 2002,
the estimated total cost of diabetes in the United States was
$132 billion.
Diabetes can lead to serious complications and
premature death, but people can take steps to prevent the disease as well as
lower the risk of complications if they already have it. In addition,
studies have shown that people with prediabetes who lose weight and increase
their physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes, and even return their
blood glucose levels to normal. For information and resources related to
diabetes, please visit the following Web sites:
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Asthma
In 2005, more than 32 million Americans had been
diagnosed with asthma during their lifetime. Asthma is the third-leading
cause of hospitalization for children younger than 15 years of age and
accounts for 14 million missed days of school annually. Low-income
populations, minorities, and children living in inner cities experience
disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality due to asthma. In 2001,
the estimated total cost of asthma in the United States was $14 billion.
Asthma can be controlled by following a medical
management plan and by avoiding contact with environmental “triggers.” For
information and resources related to asthma, please visit the following Web
sites:
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Physical Inactivity, Poor Nutrition, and Tobacco Use
Underlying these conditions—obesity, diabetes,
and asthma—are risk behaviors such as physical inactivity, poor nutrition,
and tobacco use. Engaging in healthy behaviors greatly reduces the risk for
illness and death due to chronic diseases. Learn more about addressing these
three risk factors by visiting the following Web sites:
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Additional References
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*Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a
service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization
by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is
not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found
at this link.
Page last reviewed: May 2, 2008
Page last modified: May 27, 2008
Content source: Division of Adult and
Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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