Chronic diseases, which are long-lasting health conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart problems, are the main cause of death around the world. In the United States, these diseases are responsible for 8 out of the 10 leading causes of death.
Compared to other wealthy countries, the U.S. has a higher number of people suffering from these illnesses. The reasons for this are complicated and include differences in healthcare, poverty, diet, exercise, and other factors.
A recent collection of charts compares how common these diseases are in the U.S. and in similar countries such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K.
The data comes from the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, which keeps track of how well the U.S. healthcare system is working.
How the U.S. compares to other countries
In 2021, about 8.2% of Americans had chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is higher than the average of 6.6% in other similar countries. Japan is the only other peer nation with higher rates of CKD than the U.S. over the past few decades.
Overall, the U.S. has much higher rates of obesity, diabetes, asthma, and depression compared to its peer nations.
For example, Americans are more than twice as likely to be obese and twice as likely to have diabetes. These health problems also lead to more deaths and shorter average lifespans in the U.S.
Reasons for the higher disease rates
The higher number of chronic illnesses in the U.S. is linked to many factors. Unlike other rich countries, the U.S. does not guarantee healthcare for everyone, which can make it harder for some people to get treatment.
Poverty, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, and other social issues also play a role. Despite these challenges, the U.S. has made some progress, such as reducing new cases of diabetes and improving cancer treatments like vaccines that prevent certain types of cancer.
Progress and Challenges
Even though chronic diseases remain a big problem, Americans are living longer than they did 30 years ago. However, the country still faces serious health issues, including the opioid crisis and high rates of obesity.
The high cost of healthcare and unequal access to medical services are major reasons why the U.S. struggles with managing these diseases effectively.
Conclusion
While the U.S. spends more on healthcare than any other country, its health outcomes are not as good. The country has a higher burden of chronic diseases and shorter life expectancy compared to peer nations.
Addressing risk factors like obesity, improving access to healthcare, and learning from other countries’ strategies could help the U.S. improve its health system and reduce the impact of chronic diseases.
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