Friday, May 2, 2014

The 5 Things Killing 63 Percent of Americans

Are Two-Thirds of Deaths in America Preventable?

Heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke and unintentional injuries are to blame for nearly two-thirds of American deaths every year, according to new data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.​ Together, these five preventable causes of death claim the lives of more than 900,000 Americans every year.

Unsurprisingly, many of the states with the highest rate of deaths from these causes are also ranked in the top when it comes to obesity rate,​ according to CDC director Tom Frieden, indicating that many of these deaths could be prevented simply by eating healthy and exercising.

“We know even if you don't lose any weight, being physically active is the closest thing we have to a wonder drug,” Frieden said in a press conference. “It reduces blood pressure,​ it reduces cholesterol, it reduces your risk of arthritis, it improves mood and improves independence, it improves mobility, obviously. So there are things that can be done that really do make a big difference.”

Colorado and Utah had the lowest rates of deaths, while the Southeastern United States had the highest.

A Word to the Wise

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