Universal Healthcare Reform on a Personal Level: Improving America and Ourselves

The United States is a great nation filled with great people. I love this country and for this very reason I continue to proudly serve as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. I'm also a man who used to conduct research in the biotech field, worked as a physical fitness trainer, and have studied health and fitness for most of my life. It is from this background and the aforementioned reasons that I would like to postulate an idea: A healthy population can improve the economic health of the country.

Before delving into the ramifications of a healthy population in terms of economic effects, I think it prudent to briefly examine some of the detriments an unhealthy lifestyle can have on a large population. These negative effects are to include, but to not be limited to: rising health care costs, lost productivity, increased criminal activity and national security. Let us take a moment and look at these individually, their effects and how they could be mitigated for no additional cost to the taxpayer.

The costs of health care continue to rise and are projected to continue to do so, with "current" spending at approximately 17.6% of the GDP or $2.5 trillion (as of 2009). There are numerous reasons for these costs; including insurance fraud, an aging retirement community and rising drug costs. A growing percentage of these costs are self-induced. These self-induced issues often stem from obesity, smoking, and poor nutrition. The symptoms can range from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, early onset diabetes, allergies, migraines, and even a variety of cancers. These issues place a burden on the medical system and existing federal programs. The list goes on, but I believe my point has been made. The self-inflicted problems facing the U.S.cannot be solved by trying to medicate our way out.

Studies have been done on productivity in multiple nations. While the U.S.remains a relatively productive nation, recent studies indicate that the amount of lost revenues is in the tens of billions. This is because of an accumulation of lost work days due to sick days, illness, and occupational injuries. This does not take into account lost productivity due to one's inability to focus or concentrate on key tasks over a period of time. Many of these illnesses and injuries could have been prevented or curtailed if the U.S. as a population were healthier. Numerous studies have shown that increased weight leads to greater strain on the body. A lack of exercise leads to reduced muscle mass, which makes it easier to be susceptible to injury. An improper diet of foods rich in fats and sugars is deficient in critical nutrients the body needs to maintain "normal" and healthy metabolic functions. This means that it is far easier to get sick and stay sick for longer. A lack of overall fitness also makes it easier to become injured by doing routine tasks. These injuries and sicknesses often require expensive medications and expensive surgeries to correct. A simple change in lifestyle could have dramatic effects in personal health, which would expand to the economic sector.

Increased criminal activity is an often overlooked effect of poor nutrition and an unhealthy lifestyle. Take it a step further and look at recent studies and it becomes even clearer. A study in the United Kingdom looking at the link between violent behavior and nutrition was conducted in 2006. This study arose from the knowledge that certain nutrients critical to optimal health are often lacking in more aggressive individuals. The study took a prison population and gave a certain segment vitamin supplements. There was a 37% drop in violent behavior among that group. The Dutch did a similar test with similar results. There have been other studies in relation to mental health, temperament and criminal behavior that have led to conclusions that were "common knowledge" in some societies in the past. Think how much could be saved with a less violent population in terms of prison costs, prosecutions, law enforcement, and the effects on the public perception of safety.

Lastly, an unhealthy population poses a threat to national security. According to a 2010 Mission Readiness report, 27% of 17 - 20 year olds are too overweight to join the military. Young men must have a body-fat percentage under 24% and women under 30% without a waiver (for the Army). Keep in mind these standards have been relaxed and that those percentages are typically considered overweight, bordering on obese by most texts. This challenge is exacerbated when one looks at drafting potential from the general populace. Being overweight is not the only detriment to national security. A more loose connection can be made between an individual's ability to concentrate and retain information and the overall levels of nutrients and exercise the individual receives. One then only needs to look at typical school diets, to see how performance in education is affected by the affliction of poor overall fitness. This lack of educational prowess has lead to more than 23% who cannot pass the ASVAB (basic test of math, science and reading to get into military). One study shows stronger than anecdotal evidence that an improved diet and exercise lead to increased student performance.

After seeing the profound effects that an unhealthy population can have on multiple facets of our society, it only makes sense to address the fundamental and underlying issues. The fixes, although challenging on a personal scale, are very modest on a national level and are ridiculously simple and cheap to implement. If individuals can reduce the amounts of fatty and refined foods they consume. If one can modestly increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat. Last, if individuals drink more water and combine all of this with mild exercise and proper sleep; there could be profound effects. These effects could ripple across the country in a positive wave of benefits that could increase productivity, reduce our need for expensive medications, reduce aggressive behaviors and make more people eligible for our armed forces. This would translate into a reduced need for medical benefits, a reduced need for a variety of social services and increased productivity in the work place meaning greater profits. All of which could spur an economic recovery. This costs nothing to the nation, but requires a personal commitment and realization that small incremental changes are possible, a type of Plenary Fitness for the masses.

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