Nutrition-Related Health Conditions
- Antoinet Webster
- Jul 30
- 4 min read
The foods and beverages that people consume have a profound impact on their health. The scientific connection between food and health has been well documented for many decades, with substantial and increasingly robust eveidence showing that a healthy lifestyle, including following a healthy dietary pattern can help people achieve and maintain good health and reduce the risk of chronic disease throughout all stages of the life span: Infacy and toddlerhood, childhood and adolescence, adulthood, preganancy and lactation and older adult.
Facts About Nutrition-Related Health Conditions in the
United States
HEALTH CONDITIONS STATISTICS
Overweight and Obesity
Statitics
• About 74% of adults are overweight or have obesity.
• Adults ages 40 to 59 have the highest rate of obesity (43%) of any age group with adults
60 years and older having a 41% rate of obesity.
• About 40% of children and adolescents are overweight or have obesity; the rate of obesity increases throughout childhood and teen years.
Note: Overweight is a medical term that refers to a body weight that is higher than what is considered healthy for a person's height and age. It is typically defined using the body mass index (BMI). Obesity is a chronic condition characterized by excessive body fat accumulation that can negatively impact health.
Considerations:
BMI does not take into account body composition (e.g., muscle mass vs. fat mass).
Overweight can vary depending on factors such as age, gender, and ethnicity.
It is important to note that being overweight does not necessarily mean a person is unhealthy. However, it can increase the risk of developing certain health conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Obesity can be caused by a combination of factors, including genetics, lifestyle (e.g., excessive calorie intake, lack of physical activity), and certain medical conditions. It is important to note that BMI is not always a perfect measure of obesity, as it does not take into account body composition (muscle vs. fat). Other factors, such as waist circumference and body fat percentage, may also be considered.
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
and Risk Factors:
• Coronary artery disease - a condition where the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become narrowed or blocked
• Hypertension - also known as high blood pressure, is a medical condition in which the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is consistently too high.
• High LDL and total blood
cholesterol - refer to levels of these substances in the blood that are above the recommended ranges, increasing the risk of heart disease and other health problems.
• Stroke - also known as brain attack, occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by blockage or a burst blood vessel.
Statitics
Heart disease is the leading cause of death.
• About 18.2 million adults have coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart
disease.
• Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death.
• Hypertension, high LDL cholesterol, and high total cholesterol are major risk factors in
heart disease and stroke.
• Rates of hypertension and high total cholesterol are higher in adults with obesity than
those who are at a healthy weight.
• About 45% of adults have hypertension.a
• More Black adults (54%) than White adults (46%) have hypertension.
• More adults ages 60 and older (75%) than adults ages 40 to 59 (55%) have hypertension.
• Nearly 4% of adolescents have hypertension.b
• More than 11% of adults have high total cholesterol, ≥240 mg/dL.
• More women (12%) than men (10%) have high total cholesterol, ≥240 mg/dL.
• 7% of children and adolescents have high total cholesterol, ≥200 mg/dL.
Diabetes - a chronic condition where the body doesn't produce enough insulin or can't effectively use the insulin it produces, leading to high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia).
Statitics
• Almost 11% of Americans have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
• Almost 35% of American adults have prediabetes, and people 65 years and older have
the highest rate (48%) compared to other age groups.
• Almost 90% of adults with diabetes also are overweight or have obesity.
• About 210,000 children and adolescents have diabetes, including 187,000 with
type 1 diabetes.
• About 6-9% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes.
Cancer - a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and division.
• Breast Cancer - a disease in which abnormal cells grow in the breast tissue
• Colorectal Cancer - a type of cancer that develops in the colon or rectum, which are parts of the large intestine.
Statitics
• Colorectal cancer in men and breast cancer in women are among the most common
types of cancer.
• About 250,520 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
• Close to 5% of men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer at some point
during their lifetime.
• More than 1.3 million people are living with colorectal cancer.
• The incidence and mortality rates are highest among those ages 65 and older for every
cancer type.
Bone Health and
Muscle Strength
• More women (17%) than men (5%) have osteoporosis.
• 20% of older adults have reduced muscle strength.
• Adults over 80 years, non-Hispanic Asians, and women are at the highest risk for reduced bone mass and muscle strength.
For adults, hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) >130 mm Hg and/or a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) >90 mm Hg.
For children, hypertension was defined using the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Clinical Practice Guideline.
The types of cancer included here are not a complete list of all diet- and physical activity-related cancer.
Takes a village
There are numerous things that influence where a person lies on the spectrum of health, ranging from pathology to a state of optimal well-being. One of the biggest components of a healthy lifestyle is nutrition. Just like a person’s overall state of health and wellness, food choices are greatly influenced by the world around us. Everyone has a role to play to support access to health foods and beverages in multiple settings nationwide where people live, learn, work, play and gather. Having access to healthy, safe, and affordable food is crucial for an individual to achieve a heathy dierary pattern.
Resources:
Written by: Antoinet Webster, CNC
Comments