The Core

Why We Are Here => Water Cooler => Topic started by: rcjordan on December 13, 2024, 07:46:53 PM

Title: Americans spend more years being unhealthy
Post by: rcjordan on December 13, 2024, 07:46:53 PM
https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/12/americans-are-living-longer-but-most-of-the-extra-time-is-spent-being-sick/

Title: Re: Americans spend more years being unhealthy
Post by: littleman on December 14, 2024, 05:05:53 AM
This is one of those articles that pretty much every American can read and say "yep".  It pretty much matches what I've witnessed with the generation above me.
Title: Re: Americans spend more years being unhealthy
Post by: rcjordan on December 14, 2024, 11:49:06 AM
>say "yep".  It pretty much matches

Yep.  The teaser I saw (roughly): We've extended lifespans in the US but the extended years are filled with poor health. 

I suspect that the modern diet centering around sugar & ultra-processed foods are a big part of the reason.  Also, environmental factors such as farm chemicals.
Title: Re: Americans spend more years being unhealthy
Post by: littleman on December 14, 2024, 10:41:56 PM
>I suspect that the modern diet centering around sugar & ultra-processed foods are a big part of the reason.  Also, environmental factors such as farm chemicals

Yeah.  It's weird to me that we all know what's causing it, but still the problem persists.  I guess that's human nature though.
Title: Re: Americans spend more years being unhealthy
Post by: rcjordan on December 14, 2024, 11:47:14 PM
One of the main problems is that diet is cheaper & easier vs a healthier diet, all of us here know that.

Colorectal cancer in young-ish adults has been trending up for a while now.  When reviewing their diet many of them mostly ate fast food, pasta, pizza, & soft drinks.

https://cancer.osu.edu/blog/why-colorectal-cancer-rates-are-rising-in-young-people-and-how-we-can-reverse-the-trend

Why colorectal cancer rates are rising in young people—and how we can reverse the trend
Title: Re: Americans spend more years being unhealthy
Post by: ergophobe on December 15, 2024, 12:47:40 AM
Lack of activity is a huge part of it, perhaps bigger than diet.

Hi VO2max in elderly correlates better with longevity than non-smoking status or even crazy things like a cancer diagnosis. The latter point might seem farfetched but remember that among elderly men, it is very common to have managed prostate cancer that is rarely cause of death.
Title: Re: Americans spend more years being unhealthy
Post by: rcjordan on December 15, 2024, 01:41:04 AM
>sugar

"Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers. It is currently the 3rd leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States after lung and colon and expected to become the 2nd by 2030."

https://pancreatic.org/pancreatic-cancer/pancreatic-cancer-facts/

Pancreatic Cancer Facts - Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research
Title: Re: Americans spend more years being unhealthy
Post by: grnidone on December 15, 2024, 01:45:39 AM
I've mostly gone vegan, and I feel so much better than I have in years.