Questions and Answers
What is a major contributor to several leading causes of death in the United States?
Poor eating habits
What percentage of all deaths in 2018 were attributed to heart disease and cancer?
Over 40%
What is a risk factor for chronic diseases such as heart disease?
Genetic background or family history
Why should people be concerned about their lifestyle and risk factors for chronic diseases?
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What is the focus of nutritional genomics, a relatively new area of nutrition research?
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What is a characteristic of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer?
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What is an example of a lifestyle practice that contributes to health?
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What is the main nutrition-related goal of Healthy People 2030?
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What percentage of Americans younger than 65 years of age had health insurance in 2018?
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Which group of Americans was least likely to have health insurance in 2018?
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What is meant by a person's lifestyle?
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What is the focus of public health efforts in the United States since the late 1970s?
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What are some risk factors that increase the likelihood of heart disease and certain cancers?
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What is the primary goal of Healthy People 2030 related to nutrition?
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What is one of the objectives of Healthy People 2030 to reduce the intake of?
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What is a major consequence of poor diet and lack of physical activity?
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How have Americans' diets changed over the past 50 years?
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What is the target age group for the Healthy People 2030 objective to increase fruit intake?
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What is the consequence of consuming more foods that contain too much added sugars?
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What is the overarching goal of Healthy People 2030 related to health disparities?
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What is one of the key factors that affects access to healthcare in the US?
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How has food processing affected the nutritional value of foods?
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What has been the trend in adult Americans' average food energy intake from 1987-1988 to 2017-2018?
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What is the website where more information about Healthy People 2030 objectives can be found?
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What is the main challenge faced by low-income Americans in accessing healthcare?
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What is a consequence of reduced physical activity levels?
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What is the importance of regular professional medical care?
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What is a consequence of lacking health insurance?
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Study Notes
Factors That Influence Americans’ Health
- Poor eating habits contribute to several leading causes of death in the United States, including heart disease and cancer
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for all Americans, and cancer is the second leading cause of death, accounting for over 40% of all deaths in 2018
- Chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, usually take many years to develop and have complex causes
- Risk factors for chronic diseases include genetic background, family history, age, environmental conditions, psychological factors, access to healthcare, and lifestyle practices
Lifestyle and Risk Factors
- Lifestyle practices, such as dietary habits, physical activity, and use of drugs like tobacco and alcohol, can increase or reduce the chances of developing a chronic disease
- Family history is an important risk factor for heart disease, but having a family history does not mean that an individual will definitely develop the condition
- Other risk factors, such as age, environmental conditions, and access to healthcare, also contribute to health
- Poor diet, cigarette smoking, and excess alcohol consumption are risk factors that increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, and many forms of cancer
- Obesity, characterized by the accumulation of too much body fat, is a risk factor for numerous health problems, including heart disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension
Changing Eating Habits
- Americans' diets have changed over the past 50 years, with increased consumption of peanuts, tree nuts, poultry, fish, and shellfish, but decreased consumption of red meat, eggs, and fluid milk
- Although Americans consume more fruits and vegetables, they do not eat the recommended amounts
- The population's current diet supplies more food energy from total grains, including flour and cereal products, but foods made from refined grains, such as white bread and pizza dough, make up the majority of these products
- Average food energy intake has increased by almost 17% between 1987-1988 and 2017-2018, contributing to weight gain and obesity
Access to Healthcare
- People who have regular professional medical care may reduce their chances of developing chronic diseases that lead to disability, lower quality of life, and premature death
- Increasing access to health insurance and regular, high-quality medical care is crucial for improving and maintaining good health for all Americans
- In 2018, most Americans (almost 90%) who were younger than 65 years of age had health insurance, but people with lower levels of education and certain racial/ethnic groups were less likely to have health insurance
Healthy People 2030
- Healthy People 2030 is a report that includes national health promotion and disease prevention objectives to be met by 2030
- The main nutrition-related goal of Healthy People 2030 is to improve health by promoting healthy eating and making nutritious foods available
- Some nutrition-related objectives of Healthy People 2030 include:
- Reducing the proportion of adults who are obese
- Reducing the proportion of obese children and adolescents
- Increasing fruit and vegetable intake
- Increasing whole grain intake
- Reducing intake of added sugars
- Increasing calcium intake
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Description
Learn about the factors that influence Americans' health, including lifestyle, diet and genetic makeup. Understand the importance of nutrition and the goals of Healthy People 2030.