ANNUAL REPORT 2011 KITSAP PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT

ROAD
CHRONIC DISEASE:
The public health challenge of the 21st Century
Both the District’s
Strategic Plan and the
Kitsap Community
Health Priorities include
an expansive strategic
goal that will require
a complete change in
community norms, and a
tremendous effort on the
part of the District and
its community partners:
the prevention of chronic
diseases.
Chronic diseases—such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—
are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.
Almost 1 out of every 2 adults has at least one chronic illness.
Four modifiable behaviors—lack of physical activity, poor nutrition,
tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption—are responsible
for much of the illness, suffering, and early death related to chronic
diseases.
“The best way
to predict
the future is to
create it.”
Peter F. Drucker
Over the past few decades, we have witnessed a steep rise in
obesity, a risk condition that leads to chronic illness, in both adults
and children. In Kitsap County, approximately 60% of all adults are
either overweight or obese, a staggering statistic.
Additionally, the U.S. spends significantly more on health care than
any other nation on the planet, yet our average life expectancy is far
below many other nations that spend less on health care. Chronic
disease accounts for approximately 70% of these U.S. health care
costs, yet we invest only 1% of health spending on prevention, a
paltry sum.
Adopting healthy behaviors is much easier if we establish
supportive community norms and adopt a philosophy that embraces
health in all policies and settings. We must promote community-wide
approaches that support healthy living for individuals, families, and
communities.
Background photograph by Michael Drew