When we start looking at almost any plan to improving health care, chronic disease immediately becomes a huge factor. The most common chronic diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, are simultaneously a substantial cause of death and a substantial source of health care costs. Clearly, a drop in the incidence of these diseases could reduce the load on the health care system, reduce the drag health care costs have on our economy and, of course, result in healthier people.
Conveniently, it turns out that while these diseases are expensive and deadly, they are also largely preventable or controllable by daily activities like diet and exercise. Less conveniently, these lifestyle “choices” can be very difficult to change. (Current thinking is that around 80 percent of cardiovascular disease and diabetes is preventable, 60 percent of cancers are preventable, and more than 90 percent of obesity is preventable.)
To read the full, original article click on this link: Five Ways That Apps Can Keep America From Getting Fatter | Co.Design
Author: Dave Cronin
