A Roadmap to Better Health

Although the U.S. is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, we are far from being the healthiest, and consistently lag behind other developed nations in life expectancy and other population health measures. In fact, the country is suffering from chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. These non-communicable diseases are largely the result of individual behaviors and lifestyle choices made in the context of a low physical activity, high calorie environment. In this publication, Dr. Michael Joyner and colleagues provide a roadmap to address the status quo by focusing on lifestyle factors that are best for healthspan (the period of life free of chronic diseases). Although the publication addresses the three primary causes of non-communicable chronic diseases - tobacco use, poor diet, and lack of proper physical activity, particular emphasis is placed on addressing physical inactivity. Numerous studies suggest that physical activity can compensate for other poor behaviors, yet about 50% of children and greater than 90% of adults and seniors do not meet the daily U.S. guidelines for physical activity. Something must be done to get the county back on track and improve the overall health of our population. The roadmap presented by Joyner and colleagues in this publication does just that. It is not only viable, but actionable today.