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American Idle is Killing Us: Unhealthy Optimism About Health Weighing Americans Down

Posted on: Tuesday, 1 March 2005, 09:00 CST

OAK BROOK, Ill., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Survey results released today by Destiny Health reveal a wide disparity between consumer opinions and reality on key health issues - a knowledge gap that puts Americans' well-being at risk and contributes to the problem of soaring healthcare costs.

According to Destiny Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Charles Schutz, "More than anything, the study shows the need for a new definition for the word, 'healthy.' It proves that Americans tend to see themselves as well until they are actively sick. Their definition of healthy is 'I feel fine.' That is a dangerous notion that needs to be replaced by the understanding that a person is healthy only when he or she is living a healthy lifestyle and is regularly monitoring key risk factors, such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

"It is a fact that a person who is being properly treated for hypertension may very well be healthier than one who feels well and exercises regularly, but who never sees a doctor," he said.

As an example of this knowledge gap, Dr. Schutz noted that in the independently conducted nationwide survey of 1,004 adults, an unrealistic 67 percent categorized themselves as being "physically active" and only 30 percent perceived themselves as being overweight.

"The harsh reality, as reported by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), literally reverses those numbers," Dr. Schutz said. HHS statistics show that more than 60 percent of Americans do not get enough physical activity to yield health benefits and that more than 25 percent are not active at all. In addition, HHS has released figures showing that an estimated 129.6 million Americans or 64 percent are overweight and that almost half of those meet the federal guideline of being obese. Taken together, these are problems that cause in excess of 400,000 needless deaths a year.

Similar disturbing disparities emerge from other data collected in the Destiny Health study:

-- While three-quarters of the survey respondents considered themselves

"healthy," a research program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson

Foundation found that nearly half the U.S. population (125 million)

"live with at least one chronic health condition and that many live

with more than one."

-- 88 percent of those surveyed said they believed their health could be

improved by eating healthy foods. Yet 43 percent survey respondents

acknowledged dining on fast food one or more times per week and almost

90 percent of those said they eat processed snack foods regularly.

"The saddest part of the survey findings is that nearly eight of 10 respondents said they would take better care of themselves if they had a life- threatening problem," Dr. Schutz said. "Based on the eating habits and fitness levels reported in the survey, it is likely that many of those individuals may be developing serious chronic health conditions even now. They just don't realize where they are headed."

How to Take Action

Dr. Schutz described the results as "disturbing, and illuminating news" that dramatizes the urgent need for increased education on health and healthcare-cost related subjects.

"Radical dieting and lifestyle change is not the answer," said Dr. Schutz. "We know from decades of watching our waistlines grow and our health decline that fad diets and sporadic exercise is not going to solve our problems."

Dr. Schutz suggests that Americans adopt these easy improvements (for medical advice please consult your personal physician):

-- Commit to small changes - Every tiny bit helps - and each change will

add up over time. What matters most is that you begin to think about

your health differently and try to find small ways throughout your day

to work in healthier choices. Promise yourself that you will find at

least one opportunity each day to make a new, healthier choice that is

different from what you would have done in the past.

-- Move more - To improve your health, you do not have to take up jogging

or get a personal trainer. Simply chose to make yourself move a little

more frequently every day. Stop asking other people to go get things

for you and decide to go get it yourself. Make time to walk the few

blocks to the store or post office, instead of driving. Park farther

away from your destination, on purpose. The extra time spent moving

around will add up quickly. You will raise your metabolism and burn

more calories each and every day.

-- Make it fresh - Fresh food is just better for you; there is no getting

around it. Bypass fast foods and processed foods as much as you can.

Choose fruit or grilled vegetables over chips or fries. Plan what

you're having for dinner in advance so you can prepare and not be so

tempted to order take-out. Downsize instead of super-size! You'll

feel so much better and will have more energy when your body is burning

cleaner food fuel.

-- Stop pretending things aren't so bad - Americans have the highest rates

of obesity and diabetes in the world, not to mention our low rates of

activity. We've got to make changes, and no one is going to do it for

us. Decide for yourself that you are going to do something about it,

now. The power to change is in your own mind.

Dr. Schutz said a silver lining also could be found in a cloud of other survey data that taken alone might be seen as neutral or even bad news. Specifically, that while 74 percent of respondents said they might adopt better habits if only their health plan acknowledged that behavior with lower premiums, and 50 percent agreed they would do the same if rewarded with travel and consumer goods awards.

"Our survey shows that Americans need to become better educated on health issues and more aware of the things they can do on their own to improve their health," Dr. Schutz said. "With the health of the nation at stake, there can be no more important cause."

Consumers can be helped in this area by their employers. A recent report by the consulting firm McDermott, Will & Emery recommends companies seek out health insurance providers that offer wellness/reward programs that directly reward employees for healthy and cost-saving behavior.

The McDermott report cites Destiny Health's own incentive program, Vitality, which awards points for healthy activities - points that translate into merchandise, free movie tickets, vacation discounts, and even monetary inducements. Interestingly, The Destiny Health Plan's Vitality Program which creates incentives for wellness and healthy lifestyles works to engage members in their health and well-being. Based on independent research conducted in 2004, 97 percent of Destiny Health Plan members compared to 29 percent of members of other plans believe a person's lifestyle choices have a direct impact on healthcare costs.

-- 60 percent of Destiny Health Plan members have done something specific

to reduce the amount paid for healthcare (such as opting for generic

drugs, switching doctors, negotiating a price) vs. 15 percent of

members of other plans.

-- 85 percent of Destiny Health Plan members had started an exercise

program in the last 12 months compared to 24 percent of members of

other plans

-- Destiny Health Plan members rate their progress against personal goals

3 times higher than members of other plans; and their progress in an

exercise program 5+ times higher

About the survey

The TNS Express Telephone Omnibus was employed in conducting the survey. A total of 1,004 Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews were conducted among randomly selected households across the United States and the data reflects a nationally representative sample of adults age 18 or older (roughly equal numbers of females and males.)

About Destiny Health

Destiny Health's innovative consumer-driven health plan is designed to make people healthier and enhance and protect their lives, by balancing comprehensive health insurance coverage with incentives that motivate active participation in healthcare and rewards member behavior change necessary for a healthier lifestyle. For employers, Destiny Health's Comprehensive Consumer- Driven Healthcare(TM) model is proven to control rising healthcare costs through lower premium increases. The Destiny Health Plan is a health insurance solution for those who seek greater value, superior choice, outstanding service and comprehensive coverage. With more than 50,000 members enrolled in the U.S., this consumer-focused strategy is modeled after Destiny Health's parent company, Discovery, an international life and health insurance company based in South Africa that has successfully enrolled over 1.6 million members in its medical plan since 1992. Combined, Destiny Health and Discovery are the largest providers of consumer-driven healthcare in the world. For more information visit http://www.destinyhealth.com/. The Destiny Health Plan is currently marketed by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America in Illinois, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland. It is also available in Massachusetts through a partnership with Tufts Health Plans and in Wisconsin through affiliated insurance brokers.

Destiny Health

CONTACT: Eileen Rochford, +1-312-953-3305 oreileenr@theharbingergroup.com for Destiny Health

Web site: http://www.destinyhealth.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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