Gallup: Dr. Ornish Explains Why “Lifestyle Medicine” Can Prevent and Reverse Chronic Conditions Among U.S. Blacks

In this latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index story, U.S. Blacks Suffer Disproportionately from Chronic Disease, reporters Dan Witters and Jade Wood present the latest statistics about obesity rates in the US, explaining that “for blacks in particular, obesity rates show even greater differences by age group.”

“For blacks in particular, obesity rates show even greater differences by age group.”

They write:

Between the ages of 18 to 29 and 45 to 64, blacks’ obesity rate ticks up 21 percentage points, compared with 16 points for Hispanics, 15 points for whites and five points for Asians. Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index data captured from Jan. 2, 2013 through Aug. 8, 2014, 27% of Americans are obese. Across the four major racial and ethnic groups, blacks have the highest obesity rate (35%) and Asians have the lowest (9%) — a pattern that has been consistent over time.

The reasons for these patterns beyond genetics, they explain, are connected to diet, economics, and education:

Given that blacks, on average, earn a lower household income than whites, income seems to play a role. Having a lower income and the presence of more food deserts have additively been linked to obesity, a factor that would also be relevant to Hispanics.

In addition, blacks are second only to Hispanics in being uninsured, making accessing and paying for available healthcare a challenge. And the U.S. healthcare system largely focuses on treating illnesses instead of preventing them in the first place, an approach that may perpetuate incidences of chronic disease as many people do not have the tools and support to avoid these conditions. Further, early education programs tailored toward improving health and well-being are lacking in the U.S., particularly within impoverished communities.

Dr.Ornish is featured in the article, explaining that lifestyle changes are the key to changing these statistics. He says:

The most common chronic diseases — including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and heart disease — have a common root cause: the lifestyle choices that we make each day. Most doctors prescribe a lifetime of medications to treat these conditions, but comprehensive lifestyle changes can prevent and even reverse them.”

Read the full story here.