...and how to prevent them
As previously described, today’s all-pervasive lifestyle diseases are mostly preventable. [1] They are the result of our modern lifestyle and thus, can be prevented and treated with a healthier lifestyle.
With 46.4 million euros, the highest medical expenses in Germany (13.7%) were spent on cardiovascular diseases in 2015 and 41.6 million euros (12.3%) for diseases of the digestive system. [2] Both fall under the umbrella of lifestyle diseases.
This begs the question: If the biggest expenses in health care are spent on preventable chronic lifestyle diseases, shouldn't preventing these diseases be the focus, instead of spending huge amounts on treating these diseases after they have already manifested?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), prevention is the most cost-effective and sustainable way to deal with the chronic disease epidemic in the world. [3]
Only 0.9% of expenditures by German statutory health insurances were spent on prevention in 2015 [4].
Yet, in 2015, German statutory health insurances only spent 0.9% of their expenditures on prevention [4]. If the focus was placed on preventing lifestyle diseases, health care (or rather sick care) expenses could drastically be decreased.
In addition to that, prevention is far more cost-effective, than expensive medical interventions and treatments. Prevention is mainly about education and promoting healthy lifestyles. For example, a 2017 nutrition study done by Techniker Krankenkasse showed, that 25% of respondents don’t eat healthy because they lack the knowledge about healthy eating. [5]
Current research shows how big of a role we play in our own wellbeing and that we have far more power than we think. We need to realise that we aren’t at the mercy of our genes and that we need to caretake our health in order to maintain it.
Each day, we have the opportunity to make healthier choices that support our bodies on all levels. So that we can stay healthy and feeling good.
How do we go about doing this?! We need to start taking responsibility for our own health and wellbeing... Learn more about it here.
More thirst for knowledge?
Keep reading here: Our Three Brains
Want to learn more about the Meine Bauchgefuehle concept? Click here.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, Aha’s and questions in the comments below this blog.
Sources:
[5] TK-Studie zur Ernährung 2017, S. 21 (https://www.tk.de/resource/blob/2026618/1ce2ed0f051b152327ae3f132c1bcb3a/tk-ernaehrungsstudie-2017-data.pdf)
Last accessed May 2018