HEALTHCARE COSTS AND THE ECONOMY

Front row from left to right: Beth Wright, PhD, Senior Epidemiologist; Laura F. DeFina, MD, FACP, President and CEO, Chief Science Officer; Andjelka Pavlovic, PhD, CI-CPT, NASM-CPT, Associate Investigator Back row from left to right: Benjamin L. Willis MD, MPH, Director of Epidemiology; Stephen W. Farrell, PhD, FACSM, Senior Investigator

Led by Dr. Laura DeFina, President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer, the research team at The Cooper Institute is collectively shaping the way the world views exercise and its impact on quality of life and longevity.

HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE A GROWING CONCERN FOR MOST PEOPLE. PREVENTIVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS IS THE ANSWER. EXERCISE CAN HELP.

Nearly half a century ago, Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper set out on a mission to prove that exercise is the key to a longer, healthier life. The medical community didn’t want to hear it at the time, but five decades of research from The Cooper Institute has proven that exercise is the best preventive medicine. As healthcare costs continue to rise, it’s time for employers to think about workplace wellness initiatives as a way to reduce costs for everyone.

In 2017, healthcare spending represented 17.9 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). PwC’s Health Research Institute (HRI) projects a 6 percent increase in medical costs in 2019 while the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that average labor productivity growth is only 1.1 percent over the last 10 years.

Unfortunately, 90 percent of the nation’s $3.5 trillion in annual health care expenditures are for people with chronic physical and mental health conditions, according to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many chronic conditions and illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, some types of cancer, dementia, depression and more can be prevented or delayed with appropriate diet, exercise and healthy living.

PREVENTING CHRONIC ILLNESSES CAN GREATLY REDUCE THE MEDICAL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH MANY DISEASES.

IN FACT, RESEARCH FROM THE COOPER INSTITUTE SHOWS THAT HIGHLY FIT INDIVIDUALS ARE:

• 36% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s and related dementias

• 44% less likely to develop colorectal cancer

• 56% less likely to die from heart disease with depression

• 34% less likely to suffer from chronic kidney disease

Furthermore, our research shows a dramatic reduction in hospitalizations for stroke by 37 percent and heart failure by 74 percent. Another study by The Cooper Institute shows that high fitness levels can result in a 40 percent annual healthcare cost savings per person. Keeping our workforce healthy and fit is vital to reducing healthcare costs. The time has come for companies take a vested interest in employee health and fitness.

Steven Love, President and CEO of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Hospital Council

“People will get sick and require medical treatment, and health, heredity and lifestyle all impact the health of an individual,” said Steven Love, President and CEO of the Dallas-Ft.Worth Hospital Council.

“If we focus more on preventing chronic conditions by encouraging and incentivizing appropriate diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, we could dramatically move the needle to reduce the medical expenses in this country and strengthen our economy.”

EMPLOYEE HEALTH RISKS BY THE NUMBERS

OBESITY: 1 in 5 children; 1 in 3 adults; costing $147 billion annually

DIABETES: 29 million Americans diagnosed; 86 million at risk for type 2 diabetes; costing $245 billion annually according to the ADA

HEART DISEASE: 810,000 Americans die of heart disease and stroke every year (one third of all deaths); costing $190 billion in healthcare and $126 billion in lost productivity on the job according to AHA

SMOKING: 42 million American adults and 3 million teens are smokers; 20 percent of teens use e-cigarettes and vapor devices with nicotine; $130 billion in direct medical costs related to cigarette smoking and $150 billion in lost productivity annually